


Mother Dearest

by WindChimeGhost



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Angst, Brothers, Childhood, Family, Fluff, Gen, Humor, Loki-centric, Mother and Son, Prequel, baby Loki, teenage loki, teenage thor - Freeform, toddler Thor, toddler loki
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-06
Updated: 2016-10-08
Packaged: 2018-01-23 17:54:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 46,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1574426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WindChimeGhost/pseuds/WindChimeGhost
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A prequel fanfic that explores some of Loki’s childhood and the mother and son relationship shared between him and Frigga.</p><p> </p><p>Takes place before the first Thor movie.</p><p>Rated Teen for mild violence and/or disturbing content that might appear in future chapters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The New Prince

**Author's Note:**

> ~ Critique not desired ~
> 
> **NOTE: This fanfic is a work in progress. New chapters will be added sporadically for ever how long it takes me to finish it, providing that my writing muse for it doesn’t die along the way. If you start reading it and like it, I highly recommend that you check back often for chapter updates (or bookmark it if you’re a member of AO3). I can’t guarantee that I’ll keep it updated regularly since I have a lot going on and have been quite busy with various projects, but I will add new chapters to it whenever I have time to work on them and get them done. This fanfic is something I plan to work on over a period of time, so new chapters will be added here and there.**
> 
> This fanfic is a HUGE project that I’ve put a lot of thought and planning into. I’m writing this fanfic because I wanted to read it. There are so many things I want to focus on in it, so it will be a fairly large story once I get done with it. It’ll be one with a lot of surprises and fun stuff in future chapters.
> 
> I’ve done extensive research and studying and have strived to line this fanfic up with the MCU Thor canon as much as possible. I know not everything is 100% accurate, so I ask that you ignore anything that seems a bit out of place. Just enjoy the story for what it is. There are a few things here and there that were inspired by the Thor comic book and animated series continuities, mainly because I needed explanations for certain things/events and there isn’t enough material in the Thor movies to work with and not everything in the movies is explained in depth either. So I had to improvise by combining a few continuities. You probably won't notice unless you're familiar with other Marvel/Thor continuities. I’ve also included some of my own ideas, theories, and the way I view the characters as well. This fanfic is basically my version of ‘what might have happened’ during this time in Thor and Loki’s childhood.
> 
> Some things that are worth noting in this fic:
> 
> Frigga and Loki are very close. Tom Hiddleston said himself that he and Rene Russo worked out a back story for these characters where they’re extremely close as mother and son, and Loki loves his mother dearly. So I took off on this and made it as the foundation for this story. This will be the main focus of this fanfic.
> 
> I can easily see Frigga being a reader, daydreamer, artist, and someone who enjoys telling stories. I also think that Frigga can be sort of a trickster herself, so she finds humor in Loki’s harmless pranks when he’s a kid, which contributes to him being spoiled.
> 
> And before anyone tries criticizing and correcting me on this one part: I know that in actual Norse mythology Sleipnir is Loki’s son. This is Marvel-verse so things are different. Yes, there ARE slight differences between both of them. No, Sleipnir is NOT Loki’s son in the Marvel universe (Yes, I’ve done research), at least he isn't in some of the continuities. Since they don’t say in the movies where Sleipnir came from, I’ve taken ideas from several different Marvel Thor sources (both comics and animated series) and mixed in some of my own ideas. In the ‘Thor: Tales of Asgard’ animated movie, it’s briefly hinted that Sleipnir existed way before Loki was born (meaning that Sleipnir is not Loki's son). Sleipnir is seen in flashbacks of the stories Odin told to Thor and Loki when they were kids. I partly based some of my content on this, as well as info I found out from reading around.
> 
> A HUGE thanks goes out to my friends: Melissa, Jennifer, Carolyn, and Jenna for giving support, encouragement, ideas, inspiration, and contributions that helped push me forward with getting this fanfic out. =)
> 
>  
> 
> **This fanfic is clean and all-age friendly. It only has a Teen rating just to be on the safe side and to give me a wider area to write within. There ARE some brief mentions of blood and war in some chapters. And there might be mild violence or disturbing content in future chapters.**
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Thor and all related characters © Marvel
> 
> Fanfic and plot ©2014-2017 by me (please do not take, use, or edit without my permission)

The frozen battlefield on Jotunheim was littered with bodies of the slain, and the sickening smell of fresh blood tainted the air. Silence now fell where sounds of rage, cries of pain, and the clashing of weaponry had been heard moments before. The battle with the Frost Giants was finally won but barely. There was rejoicing, bitterness, and sadness mixed. The war might have come to an end but not without taking its share. Both sides suffered great loss among their armies, as did the humans on Midgard. As a result, many loved ones were not going to be returning home to their families that day. That was always the risk when it came to war. A high price was always paid for peace and freedom, a reminder that one should never take them for granted. Freedom isn’t a gift. It has to be paid for, and the price is a high one.

Warriors of both Frost Giants and Asgardians gathered what was left of their armies and trudged back to their homes. Odin led the way for the Asgardians while carrying the precious casket in one hand and a baby in the other. Now that the king of Asgard held the giants’ source of power a truce had been set in place and peace was established. The grounds on which it stood were shaky and Odin knew deep within him that this would not be the final battle with the Frost Giants. It was a touchy situation, one that could easily turn for the worse if they didn’t tread lightly. Even though there was a sense of peace now, there was still an uneasiness lying just below it like a sleeping monster ready to be awakened at the drop of a pin. The giants would rise again someday and threaten the other realms like they had done this time. It was only a matter of time before they would try reclaiming the casket. He knew he would have to keep it well guarded or suffer dire consequences.

 

The beautiful golden walls inside the gate of the Bifrost became visible as Odin materialized from his trip through the part of the Rainbow Bridge that connected the realms. He never thought much about the interior of the gate before, but at this moment it came as a comforting and welcoming sight. It was good to be able to rest his eye on something Asgardian again. The warmth of the realm engulfed him and chased away the remaining chill in his bones that had been put there by the frigid Jotunheim air. He was finally home, and it felt good. A much-earned rest was in store for all of them.

As requested, horses were waiting to take Odin and his men into Asgard so they wouldn’t have to make the long trip on foot. Being battle worn and weary, it was doubtful any of them would have made it halfway across the bridge. The All-Father’s personal steed, Sleipnir, caught sight of his master and trotted up and nickered while nudging at Odin’s shoulder with his nose. The eight-legged horse was larger than normal horses and carried a sort of dignity about him. Created by an ancient magic, Sleipnir was truly a one-of-a-kind creature and a marvel to see—forever a faithful mount and companion to the King of Asgard.

“I missed you, too, Sleipnir,” said Odin. He laughed as the steed nuzzled his face. He moved around to the saddle and slipped the casket into a large sack hanging there and secured it in place. Then he moved his free hand to rub and pat the animal’s thick neck. Sleipnir bobbed his head, snorted, and pawed at the ground in response.

The weary Asgardian king looked around him with pride at the remaining members of his army as each one came into view and filled up the small enclosure to overflowing. There was a mixture of emotions and sounds in the air, making the moment almost feel surreal. Some of his warriors were already in the first stages of celebrating the victory, hugging and clapping each other on the shoulders and erupting in joyous song. They were more than ready for a traditional celebration feast in the halls of Valhalla, where they will eat and drink and sing and tell stories of the battle until they tire. Others nursed wounds. Some were helping the badly injured make their way to the healing room. Then there were those who carried the bodies of the deceased wrapped in tattered, bloody cloth. They gently laid them in one corner where they would await the funeral ceremony that would take place before the celebration.

When he saw that all was well, Odin turned to face Heimdall, the all-seeing sentry that stood watch on the Bifrost. Blood continued to flow from the gaping, empty eye socket on Odin’s face. It would stand as a permanent reminder of the battle over which he reigned victorious. The sight didn’t alarm Heimdall. He approached Odin as if everything was normal and showed the slightest hint of a smile and nodded in acknowledgment when his eyes met that of his king. Then he looked down at the naked baby curled in the crook of Odin’s arm. It was an unusual sight to see in light of what had just taken place. It was like seeing a beautiful flower blooming in the midst of ruined buildings. Bright, curious green eyes peered back at the gold eyes of the ancient guardian. The baby cooed and sucked on a thumb, completely oblivious to the bittersweet events going on around him. His eyes moved from Heimdall’s face to the shiny gold helmet that rested on the guardian’s head, emitting a happy squeal and lifting a hand toward it. It was so pretty!

“My king, what have you done?” asked Heimdall in a low voice, looking from the baby to Odin. Of course, Heimdall already knew of Odin’s actions before he arrived back on the Bifrost. He had seen everything—the war on Midgard that eventually ended in Jotunheim, the fall of Laufey, Odin taking the casket, and the events leading up to Odin taking the child. Needless to say, he was taken back by his king’s choice of actions. He would never have guessed Odin, the All-Father, would do something like this. 

“Nothing,” Odin replied, looking at the baby with a smile and then turning his eye back to Heimdall. “I’ve done absolutely nothing. You saw nothing.”

Heimdall studied Odin’s face, not entirely sure what to think of the command. Even though he disagreed with the whole thing, he still had to obey his king.

Finally, he sighed and nodded. “You know this is dangerous. Won’t they come looking for him and rage war on Asgard for what you’ve done?”

“They won’t. You forget the giants are now powerless.” Odin turned and patted the casket hanging on his saddle. “It is highly unlikely they will be raging war on anyone in the Nine Realms again unless they somehow retrieve that which they’ve lost this day. As the All-Father, I will see to it that will never happen.” Odin looked down at the baby again. “This baby could be of great use to us in the future—a means of uniting our worlds and bringing about permanent peace with the giants. There’s something special about this child. He isn’t like any other giant I’ve seen.”

“What if he makes trouble for us later on? With him being a—”

The All-Father held up a hand and lowered his voice. “No one has to know what he is or where he came from. It’ll be a secret between you, me, and my good wife Frigga. If we raise him to be one of us, I’m sure he won’t be any trouble at all.”

“What about them?” Heimdall nodded toward the warriors surrounding them.

Odin waved them off. “They’re too excited about winning the war to notice. It’ll be fine.”

“If you say so, my lord.” Heimdall watched as Odin walked past, leading Sleipnir by the reins with one hand while he held the baby in the other arm. “You should know that I am against this whole thing. I don’t like it.”

Odin nodded that he had heard Heimdall’s final opinions but continued walking. He walked to the bridge and stopped to pull a piece of cloth from the back of Sleipnir to wrap around the baby, covering the baby’s face with a loose corner. He would give the child to Frigga once he arrived at the castle, but he wanted to break the news to her gently. He also wasn’t sure how he would look riding back to Asgard after the war with a baby in one arm. He wanted to avoid any inquisitive questions as much as possible until he was able to break the news to Frigga first, not to mention avoid being the center of the gossip that would surely spread through the whole of the realm.

When Odin made sure he and the baby were secure in the saddle, he turned Sleipnir around and waited for his men to gather their weapons and take their places on their own horses. The All-Father looked ahead and saw the glorious sight of Asgard spread before him at the other end of the bridge. The final stages of the setting sun cast a warm orange and pink glow over the glittering columns and spires of his palace and the surrounding buildings. It was a very welcomed sight indeed after the many long years spent in battle. Since the passage of time was different in each realm, Asgard looked the same as it did the day he left with his army to go to Midgard. Nothing had changed. Well, almost nothing. All of them had aged to a certain degree. The minds of the warriors involved in the war had changed a great deal as well. All of them had seen and heard things that would remain with them for the rest of their lives. There was no erasing the horrors they had witnessed.

A soft coo came from the baby nestled in Odin’s arm, bringing the old king out of his thoughts to look down at the wriggling bundle of cloth. He shifted the baby to a more comfortable position and looked over his shoulder to see that the majority of his soldiers were ready to begin their final journey. Odin gave Sleipnir a gentle kick and they were soon galloping off down the Rainbow Bridge toward home, followed closely by the rest of his warriors.

There was great excitement to be shared when they reached the tall golden gates that would lead them directly into the palace. The gates opened and the thundering sound of hundreds of hooves rattled the bridge and everything around it as Odin and his army passed through.

Word of Asgard winning the battle had already spread quickly like wildfire throughout the Nine Realms and was working its way to becoming both a part of history and legend. Those threatened by the giants rejoiced to hear the news that Odin had been the victor. The stories of the great battle would surely be passed down from generation to generation for years to come.

When Odin and his army entered the palace, he was a bit overwhelmed, but not surprised, at the activity that went on around him. Cheering crowds gathered along the sides of the center path in hopes of getting the first glances of the returning heroes. Some waved flags and carried banners. A few people pointed at Odin’s lost eye and either shook their head in pity or clapped a hand over their mouth to suppress their shock at the unexpected sight. One group of people followed alongside the horses, playing lively victory music on a variety of musical instruments. There were women and children who pushed their way to the front of the crowds to greet their returning husbands and fathers with open arms. Several of the warriors jumped from the backs of their horses and scooped up their wives to spin around and hug and to smother their children with kisses, grateful to be alive and back home and in the arms of their loved ones.

The baby in Odin’s arm wiggled and kicked in frustration, the deafening noise of the crowd being too much for him to bear. He wanted to see what was making all of that noise, too! Tiny fingers grasped the cloth flap and worked to pull it off. Feeling what was happening and what was about to happen, Odin quickly readjusted the infant and pulled the flap of cloth back in place with fumbling fingers, which succeeded in getting an irritated whine out of the baby. Odin was thankful that the crowd’s cheering and the band blaring in his left ear was loud enough to drown it out. The baby continued to emit high-pitched squeals and kicked furiously and made unusual and abnormal mounds and lumps in the cloth he was wrapped in. Odin only hoped that he would make it to a private place before his secret was revealed in plain sight of Asgard.

Nudging Sleipnir forward, Odin led the way down the stone path that lay between two rows of enormous statues until he entered the courtyard. Here he dismounted, grabbing the sack the casket was in and allowing a nearby servant to take Sleipnir back to the stables. The crowd of people and his warriors and guards were fast filling up the area. He supposed they were waiting for some kind of speech. Odin wearily looked around him at the expectant faces that had, by this time, grown silent. Even the annoying band had ceased its music. All Odin cared about was bathing, food, and a good night’s sleep so he planned on making it short and sweet. The wiggling bundle in his arm reminded him that he wasn’t the only one who wanted food and sleep.

The All-Father held aloft the sack containing the casket for the crowd to see. “Citizens of Asgard, behold the Casket of Ancient Winters, the source of the Frost Giants’ power. It is now in my possession. Laufey has been defeated, and Asgard and Jotunheim are from this day forth in a state of truce. It is a time of peace and prosperity for both of our realms. Let us rejoice and celebrate the dawning of this new age and a new chapter in our history as we strive to make the peace stronger!”

When Odin finished, a roaring cheer erupted all over and everyone began to celebrate right then and there. The speech could have been better Odin admitted, but at least he gave the crowd what they wanted. For now, he didn’t care what the rest of Asgard did or what else happened. He made use of the moment and slipped away, through a huge door that led to the great hall and his throne room.

The great hall was in an uproar with just as much activity and noise as the outside was. The servants ran in all directions as they prepared the celebration feast and festivities that would undoubtedly go on for several days or weeks. Much concern was made over the loss of Odin’s eye as each servant, in turn, expressed their deepest sympathy when they walked by him. The All-Father acknowledged each one as politely as possible, not especially caring. All he wanted was that relaxing bath and long rest, and he viewed everyone and everything going on around him as being annoying obstacles that kept getting between him and the prize that waited for him.

Frigga came out of the surrounding confusion to throw loving arms around her husband, kissing him and welcoming him home. Well, not everyone was an obstacle.

“I’ve missed you so much!” she said, planting yet another kiss on the scruffy cheek.

“It’s good to see you too, my dear.” Odin smiled brightly as he threw his free arm around her. The bustling servants had been forgotten the moment he laid his eye on the beautiful All-Mother. “So good to be in your arms once again. It’s been far, far too long.”

“Oh, Odin, your eye…” Frigga lifted a hand but hesitated, not exactly sure what to do. “Those dreadful monsters; what did they do to you?”

“Tis nothing.” Odin sighed. “One of the casualties of war. I’ll be fine. Some have it a lot worse than me. At least I’m standing here in front of you. There are many families in Asgard that will be mourning the loss of their loved ones this night.”

Frigga hugged her husband tightly, helping him as they turned to walk down one of the side hallways. She stopped to tell one of the passing servants to bring water and bandages to their bedroom before joining her husband again.

“Thor will be so happy to see you,” she said, taking her place beside Odin. “He won’t stop talking about you and keeps asking me daily when Father is coming home.”

“Hasn’t stopped talking about me? I’m surprised that he even knows me. He was but a babe when I left.”

“I’ve filled his head with stories about you while you were away.” Frigga smiled, her eyes catching sight of the bundle in Odin’s arm for the first time.

“Good ones, I hope.”

“Nothing but the best.” Frigga beamed. “I can already tell that he has a lot of his father in him. I swear that if I didn’t keep him in check he would have gone off to join you in battle, never minding that his helmet is the fruit bowl from the dining-hall table and his sword made of wood. He’s so young, but yet he already wants to fight. That’s an Odinson if I ever saw one.”

Odin’s face shone with pride, a twinkle in his one good eye. “Aye, that’s my boy all right; idolizing his old man even before he sees him.”

“He has every right to be proud of his father, as are the rest of us.” Frigga again couldn’t help but be curious over the bundles Odin carried in his hand and arm. She knew of the casket and suspected that one had to be it, but why was it that he carried two parcels? Her eyes glanced at both and then back at her husband, never once letting her smile drop.

When they arrived at their bedroom and walked inside, Frigga reached to take the bundles from Odin, more or less an excuse to quench her curiosity.

“Here let me help you with those,” she said, pulling on the bag in Odin’s hand.

“Thank you, dear, but I’ll hold on to this one a little bit longer,” he said, protectively shielding the one in the crook of his left arm. She looked at it and then to Odin, the curiosity growing inside her. She nodded that she understood and took the sack containing the casket and placed it in a corner by the door. Odin removed his helmet and handed it to her and made his way across the room to plop himself down in one of the chairs by the window. It felt good to finally rest his aching body in something plump and soft.

“I’ll tell the guards to take that and put it in a safe place later, once I’ve rested,” said Odin, gesturing toward the casket.

After setting the helmet on the bed, Frigga approached her husband, concern evident on her beautiful face.

“Odin, your eye… It looks awful.”

“I said I’m fine,” Odin replied, waving her concern off.

“You should go to the healing room.”

“It’s too late for that now, dear. It’s gone. There’s no getting it back. Besides, the healing room is currently filled with people who need it more than I. Just wrap some cloth around it and I’ll adjust and manage. It’ll heal in time.”

The baby in his arms started to kick and cry. Frigga perked at the sound and slowly came closer to her husband.

“Odin, what do you have in your arm?” She craned her neck to the side. Her voice sounded halfway between stern and concerned. “If I didn’t know better, I could have sworn it sounded like a…baby…”

Odin gave a brief smile. “Ah! I do believe our little guest is both tired and hungry. As well he should be since he’s had quite the adventure.”

“Little guest?”

The All-Father placed one large hand on the kicking bundle and pulled the flap of cloth away to reveal the source of the screaming. Frigga’s eyes doubled in size, and she turned a questioning look to her husband. He shrugged before leaning forward to deposit the squirming baby in Frigga’s arms.

“Take him.” Odin gestured at the child with his hand. “You know I’m not good with those things, especially when they start making noise louder than my poor old ears can stand.”

Frigga, dumbfounded by the turn of events, gently took the child and held him tightly to her chest. She whispered soothing words and gently patted his bottom in an attempt to quiet the piercing cries.

“I thought you went to war,” Frigga said in a hardened tone, looking at her husband once the baby hushed the screaming to whimpers.

“I did,” Odin replied, his voice sounding tired. “And as you already know, I won.”

“Then how is it that you bring home a baby?” Frigga’s voiced was teetering on dangerous and was laced with a hint of jealousy. To her, at that moment, a baby could mean only one thing and she hoped she was wrong. If she wasn’t, then there was another woman somewhere in the Nine Realms who was going to know the wrath of Frigga, right after Odin tasted it first. She looked down at the small naked form in her arms, wrapping him in part of her dress. “The casket I can understand, but this? Odin, what have you been up to?”

“Frigga, my good wife, it is nothing like that!” Odin threw up his hands, fearing where the conversation was quickly leading. “You know me better than that. I found the baby abandoned, alone, and dying in Jotunheim once the war was over.”

Relief washed over Frigga at hearing the explanation.

“You found a baby abandoned…in Jotunheim? Mercy…what have those monsters done?” She ran her hand over the baby’s head and allowed the infant to wrap tiny fingers around one of her fingers. “You poor thing,” she whispered as she started rocking the baby gently.

“He’s a Frost Giant, Frigga.” Odin chuckled.

Frigga stopped rocking the baby and quickly turned her gaze to her husband. “What?” she got out barely above a whisper. “A Frost Giant?” Frigga slowly looked from Odin to the baby and back again, failing to understand. “How can he be a giant? He’s much too small and his coloring is all wrong. He looks like one of us.”

“My guess is that he’s a runt or a midget. As for his coloring…” Odin shrugged. “He was blue when I found him. I watched him change as I held him in my hands. It appears that Frost Giants have secrets that even we cannot hope to understand.”

“Isn’t this…dangerous? I mean, bringing a Frost Giant into Asgard. What if the other Frost Giants find out about it and come here looking for him? Then what?—Another war? They could easily claim you stole him and took him hostage.” Frigga noticed that her husband moved uneasily in his seat.

“You and Heimdall worry too much.” Odin laughed. “He was abandoned, unwanted. No one’s going to come after him. He’s a runt and considered worthless to them. They’re too upset about the casket I took and losing the war to be concerned over a tiny babe they probably think perished in battle. This baby is ours now. We’ll train him in our ways and raise him to be one of us. When he’s older, he’ll prove to be a valuable asset that we can use to bring unity and permanent peace between us and the giants.”

Frigga’s eyes worriedly searched her husband’s face for some time. “Is that the only reason you took him?” she breathed.

Odin’s eye met Frigga’s eyes for a moment, the question hanging in the air and silence falling between them except for occasional gurgles and coos coming from the baby.

“Why else would I take him?”

“Why else?” Frigga stepped closer, a bit miffed. “This is a baby—a child. He’s a living, breathing being. He’s not some object that you can pick up and tuck away for later use. He needs parents, a family, and guidance. Most of all he needs love.”

“Yes, I know all of that!” Odin snapped, feeling his temper flair slightly.

“Do you?” Frigga took a deep breath, preparing herself to say something else. Odin spoke next, however.

“If you must know, I also took him because it was obvious no one else was going to care for him. What else could I do? Leave him there to starve and die in the cold? Even though he’s a giant, it would still be murder.” Odin and Frigga stared at each other, a smile eventually forming on Frigga’s lips. “There, I said it. I’m giving the child to you. You may care for him however you wish.”

The All-Mother was taken back by the words. Don’t get her wrong. She was thrilled that she had another baby to care for, but she was somewhat perplexed that her husband apparently wanted nothing to do with it all.

“Listen here, dear husband. If this child is going to be raised here in Asgard, it will be by both of us. We will do it properly, and that means adopting him and raising him as our son. We will be his parents, he will be a part of this family, and he will be treated like a person with worth. I will not have him growing up believing that he’s some tool to end a war that he isn’t even part of.”

Frigga was pretty sure that her words had struck a nerve with the king of Asgard. Sweat trickled down her forehead as she watched Odin sit silently in his chair, contemplating her words. What came next surprised her.

“So be it then,” Odin replied with a shrug. “Thor shall have a new brother and Asgard shall have a new prince.”

“And?” Frigga raised an eyebrow.

“I shall have a new son.” Odin forced a tired smile. Frigga returned the smile, glancing down at the baby snuggled in her arms.

“You had me worried there for a minute.” Frigga came closer, allowing Odin to wrap an arm around her. She lowered the baby down for both of them to see. “I thought you stayed in Jotunheim so long that you had grown cold.”

“I am weary from the war, dear, and my face is numb. I can’t say that I’m in the best mood right now to discuss such matters as this.”

“Of course; I’m sorry.” Frigga pulled the baby close to her when it started whining.

“Frigga,” Odin took hold of his wife’s hand and fondled it, “no one is to know what this baby is or where he came from or that he’s adopted. Only you, I, and Heimdall know. We need to keep all of this low-key and a secret for right now.”

“Keep it a secret?” Frigga’s eyebrows rose. “Something like this is going to be hard keeping secret. No one’s going to believe I gave birth a few hours after you came home.”

“We’ll figure out something,” said Odin. “I don’t think Asgard is ready to hear that their new prince is a giant. There are a lot of ill feelings as well as fear and prejudice among our people right now, especially among those who have lost loved ones at the hands of the Frost Giants. We must take care that they never find out about this baby’s true identity, for his sake as well as ours. When the day comes that I use him to establish a stronger peace, everyone will know then.”

Frigga nodded that she understood, although she still didn’t see how they were going to succeed in keeping it all a secret. People were bound to ask questions eventually. If they didn’t, then there would still be those that would wonder, whisper behind their backs, and start rumors.

A sudden knock at the door interrupted the moment, and Odin placed a finger to his lips as a gesture to hush the conversation.

“Come in,” Odin gave the order, not bothering to look away from his wife. A servant girl opened the door and walked into the room. She was a short, heavyset woman with graying hair. A bright, cheerful smile spread across her rosy face as she placed a bowl of hot water on the table and dipped a rag in it. She wrung it out and walked over to begin work on cleaning Odin’s face. The All-Father hissed when the rag came in contact with his skin and grumbled something in a low voice. The woman shook her head and pulled his hand away from the wound, only to have Odin put it back. She placed her hands on her hips and glared at the king.

“Mi’ Lord, how do ye expect me to clean and dress your eye if ye won’t take your hand away?”

“It hurts!” Odin griped, peering at the servant with his one good eye as if he could actually bore a hole through her with his gaze alone.

“It’s going to hurt, your majesty. What can ye expect?—your eyeball has been ripped clean out of th’ socket. You’re lucky them monsters didn’t take your head with it. It amazes me how ye can sit there as calm as ye are. If it had been me, th’ whole Nine Realms woulda known by now.”

“If you keep on touching me like that, the whole Nine Realms WILL know!”

“T’ain’t nothin’ but water, mi’ Lord.” The servant showed the rag to the All-Father.

“It feels like snake venom!”

“Oh, tish tosh,” the servant said, waving the king off and placing the rag on his face again. Gently, she wiped the blood off so that she could see the real damage underneath. Odin yelped and griped the entire time, hissing at the pain. Frigga chuckled at her husband’s grousing. With a huff, he eventually sat back and relaxed, allowing the servant to finish cleaning and to apply ointment and bandages to the wound. The event didn’t go without more protesting and loud outbursts from the All-Father. When the procedure was finally over, the servant left through the door while grumbling and mumbling that she should have been a cook so she could hide herself away in the kitchen.

“Feisty old woman, isn’t she?” Odin breathed once the servant had disappeared.

“Oh? Says the king who threw a fit over simply having a wound dressed.” Frigga’s voice was tinged with amusement. She did her best to hide her laughter. The moment was interrupted when the baby in her arms began voicing his discomfort in very loud ways once again.

“Awwww, it’s okay, my little one. We haven’t forgotten you.” Frigga kissed the baby’s cheek, putting his head to her shoulder. “He’s a cute one,” she said happily. “You have no idea how happy it makes me feel to have a baby in my arms again.”

“I thought you would have had enough with Thor.”

“I could never have enough.” Frigga kissed the baby again.

Odin smiled and was about to say something else when the same servant woman came bursting through the door again.

“What is it this time?” Odin bellowed. “Are you back to cause me more pain?!”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, mi’ Lord. I forgot th’ bowl of water.”

“Alwilda,” Frigga called after the servant, trying to hide her laughter.

“Yes, your majesty?” Alwilda turned to face her queen.

“Have some warm water, soap, clean linens, and a bottle of milk brought to the nursery.”

“Yes, ma’am, right away.” She curtsied and turned to walk out of the room, stopping to address the queen again. “May I ask whose baby it is?”

Frigga threw a quick, nervous glance at Odin and smiled. “He’s mine.”

Alwilda’s eyes grew large and her mouth fell open, momentarily forgetting her manners. “It’s a he! I didn’t know you was expectin’, ma’am. Congratulations to the both of ye. Why that would mean…” Her mouth fell open again. “Bless my soul! Asgard ‘as a new prince!” With that, she turned and left in an excited hurry.

“You just wait and see.” Odin huffed. “The whole Nine Realms will know about him by morning, thanks to the Asgard gossip chain. It reminds me of a bunch of hens cackling and squawking.”

“Oh, Odin...” Frigga chuckled, swatting her husband’s knee as she passed by.

“Where are you going?”

“To the nursery.” Frigga stopped halfway to the door. “I’m going to bathe and feed our new little member before putting him to bed.”

“The nursemaid can do that, dear.”

Frigga shook her head. “No, I want to.”

“Suit yourself.” Odin hefted himself out of the chair and stood. “I think I’ll take a hot bath myself, right after I take the casket to a safer place.”

Frigga left the bedroom and walked a little piece down the hall until she approached the nursery. She quietly pushed open the door and walked in, taking care not to wake up Thor. Inside she could see the contents of the room from the dim glow that radiated from a nightlight burning on a nearby table. It was smaller than most rooms in the palace but still spacious with one large window across from the door. The ceiling was high and painted in blue with yellow stars.

One corner of the room was fixed up for the nursemaid, Lífdís, who slept there so she could be available if Thor needed her assistance during the night. Frigga had almost forgotten about her when she entered and made an effort to be as quiet as possible as she crept across the room to a table setting to the right of the window. It was a difficult task since the floor between the door and window was littered with an obstacle course of books, pillows, clothes, blankets, and various toys—the typical disarray common to a nursery. Once or twice Frigga’s foot caught on a wooden animal or other such toy, nearly tripping her. She would have to talk to Thor in the morning about picking up his toys when he’s done with them.

When she finally made it to the table, she saw that the servants had already come and gone, leaving behind the items she had requested. Immediately she set to work preparing the small tub that sat in front of her by pouring the jug of warm water into it. The baby started to whimper and mewl and move uncomfortably in Frigga’s hold.

“It’s okay. I’m almost done,” she said softly, testing the temperature of the water before easing the baby down into the tub. “There you go.”

The baby wasn’t sure about the new sensation. He sat there in the water and whimpered pitifully like a confused and frightened puppy before crying softly. He clutched the side of the tub in a firm grip and looked for some way out. Frigga shushed him and offered the bar of soap in an attempt to divert his attention. It worked momentarily. The baby silenced his crying and grabbed the soap, digging small fingernails into it and pulling it toward his mouth. Taking one taste, he made a disgusted face and pulled away, restarting his crying.

“Shhhh,” said Frigga, gently placing a hand over the baby’s mouth. She took the soap away and began applying it to a piece of cloth she had dipped in the water. The ripples left by the dip caught the little giant’s attention and hushed his crying into soft burbles and sounds of curiosity. He giggled and made feeble attempts to grab hold of the water, not understanding why the liquid seeped through his tiny fingers so easily. The candlelight glistened and danced on the water, adding to the attraction. Again, the little giant grabbed at the ripples and smacked the water with the palm of his hand. Frigga smiled at the reaction and began to gently rub the soapy cloth over the baby’s delicate form. The infant recoiled, pulling his arms up around his face and emitting pitiful cries of annoyance, but Frigga continued on.

“Aw, it’s okay. It’s not going to hurt you. See? It’s just soapy water.” Frigga held the cloth out for the baby to finger and squeeze. “Don’t tell me this is the first time you’ve had a bath.”

The infant grabbed hold of the soapy cloth and squeezed it tightly, watching in utter fascination as bubbles made their way out of it and into the tub water. He turned a surprised face to Frigga and then back to the bubbles and cloth, still trying to figure it out.

“What did you do?” Frigga asked in playful surprise. As if to reply to her question, a happy squeal escaped his mouth and he leaned forward to chew the cloth. He pulled back at the bitter taste of the soap, though, uttering a disgruntled cry. “Such beautiful emeralds,” Frigga breathed, studying the child’s eyes.

When the bath was over and the baby was properly dried and diapered, Frigga pulled some small, yellow footed pajamas from the dresser and held them out for the infant to see. He eyed them, not entirely sure what they were for. They were pretty, but he didn’t know what they were.

“This is all I have right now, sweetie. It’ll have to do until I can get you your own clothes.” She dressed the baby, all the time humming a soft tune. The baby watched with curious eyes as the woman tucked each of his legs and arms into the strange garment and pulled it around him and snapped it closed. So that’s what that thing was for. It felt snug and comfy anyway. “There we go. Now you look and smell like somebody.”

Frigga picked the baby up and moved to sit down in a rocking chair. She tipped the bottle she held and pushed the nipple close to the infant’s mouth. Much to Frigga’s surprise, the baby immediately locked hands around it and greedily gulped down as much of the milk as the bottle’s nipple would allow, getting choked in the process.

“Easy, easy,” Frigga whispered, taking the bottle away until the baby was finished coughing. “Slowly, little one, it’s not going anywhere.”

The baby reached and grabbed onto the bottle again with both hands and began sucking down huge intakes of milk, the excess spilling over and dribbling down his chin. He jerked and pulled on the bottle until it broke free of Frigga’s hold. The All-Mother watched with great interest and concern as the baby wrapped both legs around it and hugged it tightly to his body as if it was a precious piece of treasure. She tried taking the bottle back, but her hand was gently pushed away by one little foot. Her heart was filled with compassion while she watched the feeding frenzy taking place in her arms. She occasionally moved a cloth to wipe the milk from the little giant’s chin. It was obvious the baby was starving. She couldn’t help but wonder if he had ever been fed.

“Those monsters…” Frigga whispered under her breath. “No one’s going to harm you again.” She leaned over and kissed the head of her new little son. The baby reflexively jerked his bottle away as if expecting Frigga to take it from him, holding up a foot in defense. She smiled. “Don’t worry, it’s yours.”

The baby continued to suck contentedly while slowly drifting off to sleep. Frigga felt the small form finally relax and emit a small sigh. The All-Mother wrapped her arms tighter around the baby and nestled him next to her breast to make him feel more secure and began to gently rock. She found herself humming a lullaby that she sometimes sang to Thor. It was one her mother used to sing to her when she was a little girl.

By now the nursemaid was awake and busied herself with preparing a rather large cradle beside where Frigga sat. She folded freshly cleaned blankets and positioned them inside the bed so that it would be ready for the baby as soon as he was asleep. The cradle was originally Thor’s and was decorated on all sides with elaborate carvings of goats, ravens, winged horses, wolves, squirrels, and intricate Nordic symbols and designs. It was made from the finest wood and overlaid in gold. Odin told Frigga that it had been specially made by the dwarfs of Nidavellir and given to him as a gift when Thor was born.

“Whose baby is he?” Lífdís whispered to Frigga, nodding her head to the baby while folding a blanket.

“Naturally, he’s mine,” she answered. “This is the royal nursery.”

“I’m sorry, my lady, I had no intention of offending. It’s just that I didn’t know you were…”

“It was…sudden.”

Lífdís studied Frigga a few minutes, struggling to understand how her queen could suddenly give birth to a baby in such a short length of time. Giving a slight shrug, she set about finishing her task, not bothering to ask any more questions. Frigga felt awkward and uncomfortable at the short conversation and was more than glad when the nursemaid showed no signs of continuing it. She watched as Lífdís finished in silence and left to return to her own bed. It was going to be hard keeping the baby’s true form and where he had come from a secret, especially since everyone in the kingdom knew that she had never been pregnant. She just knew that he would go down as the baby who appeared overnight forcing her to have to reveal that he’s adopted just to avoid any unnerving rumors that might come about that would ruin her reputation and dignity.

Frigga sighed. Maybe she was jumping to conclusions too soon. Was it right to keep it all a secret? Something in her said no, but another part of her said yes. She understood Odin’s concern since the baby was a Frost Giant. He was right. Asgard wasn’t ready to hear that their new prince was a Jotun, especially this soon after the war. There was still sensitivity among the people as well as ill feelings towards the giants. Too many families were mourning the loss of loved ones that had been killed by the Frost Giants. It would be dangerous for her and Odin and especially the child for Asgard to know of his true form. She could imagine the uproar if Asgard discovered that she and Odin were harboring and raising an orphaned giant as their own son. She knew and accepted the fact that he would never become king. That right fell to Thor, since he was the first born. He would still be a prince, though, and the thought of what would happen if the realm ever found out what he was frightened her. There would be those who would accept it, but there would also be those who would be against it. She didn’t relish the thought of her son being assassinated by some fanatic over political reasons or because they couldn’t handle the thought of someone different being a prince of Asgard.

Frigga gently removed the empty bottle from the sleeping baby’s hold, gave him a hug, and moved her face closer to nuzzle the little bundle. “We’ll make this work out somehow, little one.” She lifted the child and placed him to her shoulder and began to pat his back. She continued to think over the current situation while waiting for the baby to burp.


	2. My Little Loki

Frigga could not sleep that night. Excitement over the new baby filled her to the point where sleep was not going to come soon or easily. Instead, she laid there wide awake with her thoughts drifting to the soft, cute little bundle that resided in the nursery a few doors down the hall. She had to hold him again and she couldn’t wait until morning. Throwing off the covers, she carefully got out of bed and grabbed a shawl to put around her shoulders before reaching for a candle. She glanced over at Odin to make sure her movements didn’t wake him. The All-Father was still sound asleep, loud snoring being the only noise coming from his side of the bed. Frigga shook her head at the sound.

“Sounds like pigs at feeding time,” she whispered to herself as she adjusted the shawl around her neck and began walking toward the door. She quickly made her way out of the room and down the hall, toward the nursery. The nursery door emitted a slight moan when she pushed on it. Fearing she would wake the residents inside, the All-Mother opened it enough to squeeze through and slipped in like a thief in the night. Stealing a glance over at Lífdís, she lifted the skirts of her nightgown barely above her ankles so she wouldn’t hang her foot in them and quietly walked over to the cradle. Smiling, she peered over the side while reaching to set her candle on the small table beside the rocker. Immediately she stepped back as if she had looked into a viper’s nest, not entirely certain as to what she had just seen. She already knew that the baby was a Frost Giant, but her mind still hadn’t been prepared for what her eyes saw before her. After gathering her senses, she walked toward the cradle again and looked over the side at the blue-skinned baby sleeping peacefully there. A thin coating of icy frost covered him and the surrounding blankets.

Frigga found herself wrinkling her nose. The feelings that surged through her were ones of revulsion and disgust. What had given her pure joy and happiness hours before now stood as a reminder of the reason why lives had been lost and why her husband’s eye had been gouged from his face. Those feelings quickly subsided the longer she looked at the sleeping giant. She felt guilty and ashamed that she even allowed those feelings to flare up. This child, which had been graciously given to her, had nothing to do with the war or the lives lost. It was an innocent being, newly brought into the universe. It had barely begun to live and had no understanding of war or pain or loss. It had done no harm to anyone nor did it have blood stains on its hands. Most of all it couldn’t help what race it had been born to. Its own kind had even thrown it to the side, making it the victim rather than the cause. Its only crime being that it had been born too small and too weak and would never live up to the expectations of its fellow giants. If anything he needed sanctuary from his own race, and the All-Mother could not deny him of that. It would be cruel and against her nature to deny him of safety. It would pull her down to a low level and make her just as bad as the Frost Giants. Things needed to change if they ever hoped to make permanent peace with and ally themselves with Jotunheim, and change usually began with one person. Perhaps this baby had a deeper purpose than any of them thought.

Frigga smiled lovingly at the baby, leaning against the cradle’s edge and reaching down to brush away the frost. It was the first time she had ever seen a Frost Giant this close without fearing for her life. She quickly saw that there was a hidden beauty in the race—a beauty she hadn’t noticed before. Softly she ran her hand over the baby’s head and traced the markings on the face with the tip of one finger. There were odd bumps on either side of the forehead. Horns, perhaps?

“You aren’t a monster,” she said, running her hand down the baby’s back and patting him. The baby yawned and snuggled deeper into the blankets, putting a thumb into his mouth. Carefully Frigga scooped him, blankets and all, into her arms and sat back in the rocker. She kissed the soft blue skin that felt cold against her lips. She smiled.

“You’re precious and beautiful in both forms,” she whispered, leaning a cheek next to the baby’s head. It felt like leaning against a block of ice, but she enjoyed the feel. “But what am I going to do with you? We can’t have the nursemaid seeing you like this.” Frigga pondered why the child had reverted back to his Frost Giant form. Was it because he was young and weak? “Odin said we’ll have to keep all of this low-key and a secret. It’ll be hard to do that if you look like this,” Frigga continued to whisper. “Low-key…lowkey…Loki?” Her smiled widened. “Loki. I think I shall call you…Loki. My little Loki.”

“Urrr?” the baby responded in his sleep without opening his eyes.

“You like that, don’t you?”

Loki cracked his eyes open and emitted a soft gurgle. Frigga watched in awe as he went through his transformation like he had done with Odin. His blue skin faded and turned pale white the moment his eyes saw the woman before him. She never doubted her husband, but Frigga still sat with her mouth gaping open in stunned silence at what she witnessed. Truly this child had remarkable gifts unlike any other of his kind. Magic was not a talent the giants normally wielded, nor were they gifted in shapeshifting, yet it was apparent that it greatly flowed through this baby’s body like a powerful force. He was definitely special and one of a kind and he was hers.

Frigga smiled with tears in her eyes. Right then, she immediately felt a kinship with the child—a connection she couldn’t explain. Maybe it was because she secretly wanted a child that she could relate to and that had a potential to follow in her footsteps. Thor was only three-Asgardian-years-old and was already following after his father in being the typical rugged Asgardian warrior. He was also following after Odin in other ways too, such as developing a stubborn and hot temper when it came to things he didn’t want to do. It was expected since Odin was, after all, his biological parent. Thor was still very young yet he highly admired the father he barely knew and was becoming like him whether he realized it or not. He was already fascinated with fighting and could usually be seen spending his afternoons gallivanting around the palace while swinging his wooden sword and engaging in imaginary battles. It made her happy to see Thor exploring the world and becoming his own individual self. It was his life and he was free to grow up and mature in whatever way he chose. At the same time, though, Frigga couldn’t help but feel left out of his world. A part of her felt they had very little in common when it came to spending time with each other as mother and son—like she couldn’t connect with him. Thor had never shown an interest in books or magic or painting or other things she liked. He was still too young to read, true, but even when she showed him picture books, he paid very little attention. He also seemed bored when she gave him paints, and while his eyes brightened whenever she performed harmless tricks with her magic, he still showed little interest in actually learning the skill. However, he did love her stories that she told him before going to bed and even begged her for one on nights when he ran late getting in bed. Those were some of the few and dear moments she felt she could spend with Thor.

Now that Odin was home from the war, she knew deep inside that Thor would be spending a lot more time with him. That was okay. Thor needed to finally spend time with the father he had heard so many stories about. Frigga had feared that Odin would not come home in time to take part in Thor’s childhood…or worse…not come home at all. There was still that lingering dread and even fear in her that Thor would not want to spend time with her anymore once he found out how much like Odin he really was. She knew it was silly to think that since she was, after all, his mother. Correction: His step-mother. There were times when she forgot about that one little detail. She still had not told Thor that she wasn’t his biological mother. Odin had told her before he left for war not to say anything about it to him and that he would tell him when he felt the time was right. Knowing the All-Father, he probably never would. Frigga learned right away that the Odinson family kept many secrets locked away within the walls of the castle, and Odin was very good at keeping those secrets. She wasn’t sure if she agreed with his methods and had a strange feeling that the secrets he kept would eventually come back to haunt him someday. Even though she was the queen, she couldn’t do anything about it. Odin was the ruler of Asgard and her husband and he had his way of doing things.

Sometimes it was hard being a step-parent, though. Frigga would never admit it openly, but she was still silently struggling to find her place in the Odin family—a place where she belonged. In a sense, she was adopted, too. Since the war was over, maybe all of them would finally have a chance to settle down and truly get to know one another as a family should. It was a family of many different pieces that were slowly coming together to become one.

Frigga looked down at Loki and smiled before kissing his head. Loki was hers. She claimed him that very moment. He was her special treasure that she would nurture and love, and Odin was not going to use him or force him into doing anything against his will. She would see to it that Odin dropped his foolish ideas of using her child to bring about peace. While it was important that they made peace with the giants, she wasn’t going to sacrifice Loki’s freedom of choice. What Odin wanted to do was wrong and she wasn’t going to stand by and watch it happen. Loki wasn’t a tool that could be used. Odin would just have to find some other way to unite the realms.

“You’ve got very special talents, my angel.” Frigga nuzzled Loki’s face and kissed him. “With a little time and patience, I can show you how to harness those talents and use them for good. You need not fear Odin. I shall talk to him and hopefully change his mind about things. You’ll see; we’ll be one big happy family.”

Frigga moved into a position where she could hold Loki in one arm and have her other hand free. Using her free hand she wiggled her fingers in the air and made a couple of quick mystical signs. The air around them rippled with a sparkly smoke that swirled around to form dainty green ghostly outlines of butterflies that glowed brightly. They floated, danced, and flapped their wings in a dreamy state, trailing streaks of smoke like jets. Loki squealed in delight, his round eyes following the fairy-like butterflies. He reached out to touch the ones that flew nearest to him, his fingers passing through them.

“Eeuur?” emitted Loki as he tried to figure out the pretty flying green things that continued to flutter in front of him. Why did everything he tried touching go right through his fingers?

Frigga wiggled her fingers again in a different combination of signs, adding glowing blue fish that swam through the air. She wiggled her fingers a third time and yellow birds flew in circles around the fish before joining the butterflies in performing aerial stunts and loops. She lifted her pinkie finger slightly and a single orange phoenix swooped into the center, its long flowing tail floating behind it. It gracefully zigzagged and dove in-between the others in a sort of mesmerizing dance before taking a turn upward in a spiraling motion, ending in a display of outstretched wings and flames. The flames came together to form another phoenix that took a nosedive downward to join the other flying creatures.

Loki sucked on his fingers as his eyes followed the assemblage and beautiful show before him. Frigga quickly closed her hand and opened it again, fingers splayed, and all of the dancing illusions rolled themselves into one huge swirl of dazzling color that soundlessly exploded into dozens of tiny glowing fireflies that sparkled like glitter. Loki perked up at the shiny little bugs that dotted the air and floated like dandelion seeds around his head. He lifted a chubby hand and lazily tried to grasp at one that flew near his nose, going cross-eyed in the process. A sigh escaped when his fingers touched nothing but air. Frigga snapped her fingers and the fireflies immediately turned into glowing white stars that hung motionless in the air. One by one she moved them with her index finger until she had made a constellation.

“Mup!” Loki said softly, reaching toward the pretty image.

“Stars,” Frigga whispered with a smile. She made a circular motion with her outstretched finger and planets appeared. She added some suns and moons and nebulas. Putting three of her fingers together, she spun one of the planets like a top. Loki smiled and squealed happily, flapping his arms.

Feeling it was time to move on, the All-Mother moved all of the stars and planets and suns and nebulas into one pile and stirred them with the tip of her finger and then ‘painted’ a picture of a winged horse in mid-air with the colors of the previous illusions When she was finished she touched the image and the horse sprang to life, prancing and flying around the surrounding area before landing on top of Loki’s belly. With fingers still in mouth, Loki reached out with his free hand and slowly closed his palm around the horse’s head. This time, he was able to pick it up. A happy giggle came out of his mouth. The image wasn’t solid, but it responded to touch.

“Gah!” he said, handing the horse up for Frigga to see his achievement.

“Yaaay, you did it!” Frigga grinned down at him. Loki looked from her to the horse. He moved to put it in his mouth, only to bite down on air. He again looked at the horse, puzzling over the fact that he was holding it but he couldn’t bite it.

“Mluh…” he said. While the word held no real meaning, it still came out sounding disgusted.

“It’s just a pretty illusion.” Frigga chuckled. “Here, I think this is what you want.”

She leaned down to pick up the nearest toy she could reach, which happened to be a floppy stuffed cat with a rattle in its belly, and handed it to Loki. The little Frost Giant slowly let go of the illusion of the horse when his eyes landed on the toy. He had never seen anything like it and began exploring it with both hands. Tiny fingers squeezed, pulled, and felt the soft material. A smile formed on his face when he heard the soothing sound of the rattle. Suddenly Loki jerked the toy toward him and inserted one of the cat’s ears into his mouth, his eyes growing heavy with sleep and beginning to droop. He lay there in his new mother’s arms and contentedly chewed and gummed the toy cat until he couldn’t keep his eyes open any longer. The illusion of the winged horse had settled near Loki’s head as if to stand guard, a soft glowing light radiating from its body to act as a soothing nightlight.

The All-Mother, smiling lovingly, started to rock steadily and softly hummed a simple tune. She wasn’t sure if she hummed the tune for Loki or because she was happier at that moment than she had been in several years. She cradled Loki closer to her chest, never wanting to let him go. It was very late and she knew she needed to sleep, but she just couldn’t pull herself away. Not yet. She would wait until she knew he was asleep.


	3. Little Brother

Morning arrived to find Frigga and Odin spending some much needed quiet time in bed, away from the busy life of the kingdom that lay just outside the two double doors to their bed chamber. A servant had already come to pull open the curtains. Bright morning sunlight streamed in across the floor, chasing away the last remaining shadows that were still lingering from the night hours. Birds sang their merry tunes as they flew to and fro and roosted in the trees in the garden just below the balcony. An air of cheeriness filled the room, reminding one of a warm spring morning. The fact that Asgard was currently celebrating victory and peace added to the feel. Even the servants ran through the castle halls and went about their everyday routines with a spring in their step and smiles on their faces. There was absolutely nothing that could spoil this day.

Another servant soon arrived, bringing plates of food to set before the royal couple. Instead of setting it on the long table located next to the glass door leading to the balcony, the servant placed the food on a small table within easy reach of the bed. Seeing all was well, the servant left.

Frigga basked in the morning sun and tended to her hair while Odin busied himself with reading a scroll. The All-Father pored over his work while holding an almost devoured apple in the other hand.

“Must you do that now?” Frigga groaned while brushing her hair.

“Hmm? Do what?” Odin replied, not bothering to take his eye off the scroll. He slowly took another bite of his apple, crunching on it noisily. Frigga narrowed her eyes at him, slightly annoyed.

“Read that.” She gestured at the parchment with her brush. “You’ve been away at war for so long. Don’t you want to spend some time with me? You’ve got more than enough time to tend to royal duties.”

Odin turned a smiling face to her, allowing the scroll to roll itself up before dropping it to the floor beside the bed. He then turned his attention fully on breakfast and his beautiful wife. Frigga placed her brush on the night table and was in the process of offering a plate of food to him.

“You’re right, my dear,” he said, picking up a piece of bread and smearing jam on it. “This is too lovely of a day to spend on such chores. Let the concerns of the kingdom sort themselves out for once. This is a time for celebration and rest.”

“That’s more like it,” said Frigga. She smiled as Odin leaned over to plant a kiss on her lips and touch his nose to hers. He offered his bread to her for her to take the first bite.

“Well? What is your opinion of the new jam?”

Frigga nodded while chewing and then swallowing. “Mmm, it’s delicious.”

Odin took a bite himself and smiled his approval. “I do agree. This is probably the best jam I’ve tasted.” The All-Father settled back and enjoyed the rest of his bread as he watched Frigga prepare herself some of the same. “I’m looking forward to the celebration feast tonight. It’s been awhile since I was able to taste the fine cuisine of Asgard, especially the mead. Oh, how I’ve missed the mead!”

“I’m looking forward to the celebration myself. It will be nice to finally have something worth celebrating and even nicer to see everyone together again.” Frigga finished her bread and reached for some fruit.

“Aye, it will be.” Odin’s face turned into a look of sadness. “Although my heart aches for those who will not be attending.”

Frigga nodded in agreement. “I almost forgot that we have the funeral ceremony to go through first.” She put her cup of tea back on the table and swiped her mouth with her napkin. She wasn’t going to let the sadness spoil her day.

“It will be hard not seeing Adalstienn at the table tonight.”

“Oh, Odin, not Adalstienn,” Frigga breathed, her heart feeling heavy.

The All-Father nodded sadly. “My dearest friend and one of my strongest and bravest warriors to the last. I owe him my life.” Odin patted the bandages over his wounded eye. “He took down the giant that was about to make off with the rest of my head right before he was skewered through the back by another giant.”

An air of silence fell and the once cheery atmosphere took on a solemn mood. Frigga idly rolled a strawberry between her fingers, wanting to eat it but feeling that it would be inappropriate considering the conversation they just had.

Odin clapped his hands together, causing his wife to jump. “Let us not ruin this beautiful day by such sadness.” He smiled. “While our dear friends will be badly missed, Adalstienn and the other lost warriors would not want us dwelling on sad thoughts. They would want us to celebrate and live and carry on with life. They didn’t die in vain and would have wanted us to enjoy the peace and freedom that we’ve rightfully bought.”

Frigga smiled, finally putting the strawberry in her mouth. Odin pointed at the fruit bowl and Frigga handed it to him.

There was a knock at the doors, and Frigga knew right away that it was the nursemaid, Lífdís. Every morning she brought Thor in to say good morning. It was a daily ritual with them that started the morning after Odin left for war. Frigga remembered that morning as if it was yesterday. She had spent a restless night crying and woke up suffering from sadness and worry. Lífdís thought bringing a baby Thor in to see her would cheer her up. It did, and from then on they fell into repeating the tradition every morning. It was something she looked forward to and something that had helped to keep her spirits high during the war and the absence of Odin.

“Come in!” Frigga called, happy to have something to get her mind off the approaching funeral. She was even happier when she thought of holding Loki in her arms again. One of the doors opened and Lífdís appeared.

“Here are two handsome young men to say good morning,” she said cheerily as she walked into the room, closing the door with a foot. She led a little blond-headed boy by one hand while carrying Loki in her arm.

“Momma! Daddee!” Thor squealed. He let go of Lífdís and ran across the room as fast as his small toddler legs would allow. When he stopped by the side of the bed, he stretched both arms up to Frigga. She put her plate down and leaned over to pick him up and set him beside her on the bed. Smiling, she prepared to give him a hug but a stab of disappointment and a hint of jealousy hit her when he seemingly ignored her and crawled over to Odin. He threw his arms around his father’s neck and held on tightly. Frigga forced her smile to remain as she watched the father and son bonding, thinking herself foolish for even feeling jealous. It was only natural that he was overly excited to finally see his father.

“Hey, Thor, how’s my little man been doing? My, you’ve grown since I last saw you!” said Odin with a sparkling grin, accepting the hug and throwing a bulky arm around the small boy in return. “Have you been behaving for your mother?”

“Yes!” Thor said excitedly, accepting part of a banana Odin offered him and sticking it in his mouth. His little cheeks bulged like a hamster’s as he fought to chew it.

“More or less,” Frigga added with a smirk.

“Mommy, Mommy! Strange baby!” Thor said, swallowing the banana and turning around to the All-Mother. He was going into random toddler mode from all of the excitement. He pointed at Loki in Lífdís’s arms.

“Strange?” Frigga felt a slight twinge of fear wash over her. Had Thor seen Loki in his Frost Giant form? If so, how were they going to explain it? Thor’s next words eased her mind, however. 

“Yes! I never seen him ‘fore.”

The All-Mother breathed a sigh of relief, glancing over at Odin. “Yes, Thor, he’s your new little brother.”

“He is? Where he come from?”

“He blew in on the wind like all babies do,” Odin rumbled under his breath, earning an elbow nudge from Frigga. “What?? Would you rather me tell the boy they sprout up like weeds?”

Ignoring her husband, Frigga motioned for the nursemaid to give Loki to her. She smiled widely as the little soft, squirming infant was gently placed in her arms. Alert green eyes peered back at her from the blanket nest.

“He’s been fed and changed,” Lífdís said, handing Frigga an extra blanket.

“Thank you, Lífdís,” the All-Mother answered, putting the blanket over her shoulder. “Hey there, my little angel,” Frigga said in a chipper voice, turning a smiling face to her precious bundle. She nuzzled Loki’s nose. The action earned her a happy coo and burble.

“He has a name?” Thor asked inquisitively while munching on more banana.

“Of course, he has a name. His name is Loki.” Frigga positioned the baby where Thor could see him better. “Loki, meet your big brother, Thor.”

Loki sucked on a curled fist as he locked eyes with the blue-eyed boy in front of him. Both boys held each other’s gaze for a few minutes, Loki finally reaching a hand out toward Thor and emitting a half burble, half squeal of glee. He opened and closed his fingers, his face beaming with a rather large, toothless smile. He wasn’t sure what a ‘brother’ was, but the boy across from him looked like a nice person. He had kind eyes. Loki liked kind eyes. Thor smiled in return as he gently took hold of the tiny outstretched hand and placed it to his nose. Loki closed his fingers around the nose and gave it a tug, causing Thor to giggle.

“Loki!” said Thor while squinting his eyes closed every time Loki tugged on his nose. “He’s my wittle brotha?”

“Yes, he is.” Frigga smiled. “He’s your little baby brother.”

“I wuv my wittle babby brotha.” Thor leaned over and kissed Loki on the forehead rather roughly.

“Loki?? What sort of name is that?” Odin turned his eye to Frigga.

“It’s the name I gave him last night. I like the way it sounds.”

“You should have asked me first before you went and named him. He’s my son too, isn’t he?”

“Well, do you like the name ‘Loki’?” Frigga tried holding frustration back. Loki was hers, and she was going to name him what she wanted.

“Not especially. It doesn’t sound manly enough. We Odinsons have always had names of power and strength!—names with honor! I was thinking more along the lines of ‘Fritjof’.” Odin put several grapes in his mouth and munched thoughtfully. “Yes, Fritjof. I like that name.”

“Fritjof?” Frigga wrinkled her nose in disgust. “That name carries no honor.” She couldn’t help but notice that Loki turned a strange look toward Odin as if he, too, was not in favor of the name. “I like Loki better.” She rolled her shoulders and grinned down at her jewel. “He’s my little Loki.”

“What IS a Loki anyway?” Odin looked at the baby.

“ _This_ is a Loki.” She tilted Loki toward Odin so he could see. Loki continued to suckle his hand while scanning every inch of Odin with wondering eyes. He knew that man. He was a nice man. He saved him from the loud, scary noises. “I think the name fits him. It’s a cute name. I like it, he likes it, and so his name is Loki.” Frigga pulled Loki closer to her and again nuzzled his face, making him squeal. He grabbed hold of her hair and kicked his feet. “Yes, you are! You’re my little Loki.”

Odin opened his mouth to say something else, thought better of it, and closed it again, settling instead for rolling his eye and shaking his head. He turned his attention back to the food in front of him lest he lash out. His face felt hot and flushed and he felt like arguing. After all, he was the All-Father and the All-Father should be allowed to name his own children. He held back his flaring temper, though, for the sake of Thor, who was watching them and listening to the whole conversation. Thor didn’t need to see his parents arguing today. This was the first time Thor had ever seen his father outside of paintings, and Odin was trying his best to make a good impression. Besides, it was a beautiful, peaceful, joyful day and it didn’t need to be ruined by pointless argument. Frigga had been through enough. It was only fair to let her name the new baby since he gave it to her. After being gone for so long, Odin had almost forgot that he was still in the middle of putting a family back together.

“Very well.” Odin forced a smile. “He shall be called Loki. Although I still think Fritjof would be a much better choice.”

Frigga smiled and leaned to kiss Odin’s cheek. A genuine smile played across Odin’s lips. He truly did love his wife.

“Here, why don’t you hold your new son? Since we’re spending family time together, I think it’ll do us all good to become better acquainted with each other. The war has kept us apart for too long.” Frigga handed Loki to Odin. The All-Father, somewhat taken by surprise at the suddenness of Frigga’s actions, awkwardly accepted the infant. He struggled to keep Loki’s head up while juggling the food he still held in his hands.

“Er, dear, can I wait until after I finish eating breakfast?”

“Nonsense,” said Frigga, adjusting Loki in the crook of Odin’s arm. She was a bit puzzled over her husband’s reluctance to take him. “You can eat while you hold him.”

“Easier said than done,” Odin mumbled, moving the fruit bowl out of the way of Loki’s kicking feet. He placed his left arm under Loki and held him to his chest the way he had done when bringing him from Jotunheim. Loki recognized the hold and knew it to be a safe haven and curled up next to the king. Odin took careful note not to squeeze too hard. He didn’t trust his own strength sometimes. As tiny as Loki was, the All-Father feared that one wrong move could easily finish off the little giant.

Loki burbled and stared into the face of the one-eyed man that held him. His face contorted into a look of serious contemplation, his eyes keenly studying Odin’s beard as if seeing it for the first time. He always thought it rather strange that this man had odd fuzz growing on his face. He bet it felt like that soft toy thing he liked to chew on.

“Muh,” Loki babbled.

“Hm?” Odin answered, poking a few more grapes in his mouth and reaching for a plate of cheeses. “What’s wrong, squirt?” Loki didn’t answer. Instead, he watched with immense interest as Odin went about one-handedly slicing off a piece of each kind of cheese. Setting his knife aside, he picked up one of the pieces and held it close to Loki for him to see. “Hmm? How’s that? Not bad for doing it with one hand. This is called cheese.”

Loki looked from Odin to the cheese. He honestly didn’t care what it was called. It stunk, and he wasn’t at all pleased that Odin held it so close to him. Curling his button of a nose, Loki uttered a disgusted, “Beh,” before pushing Odin’s hand away with one foot and turning his attention elsewhere, blowing a raspberry. He flailed and flapped his arms as if the action alone would help move him away from the horrid thing in Odin’s hand.

Frigga, Thor, and Lífdís laughed at the scene.

“Hmph! Sorry, I offended you,” Odin replied indignantly, turning his head to take a bite of the cheese. When he turned around again, Loki was looking straight at him. If it was any way possible, he looked appalled. He couldn’t understand how this man could even think of putting that reeking wedge of whatever it was in his mouth and swallowing it. Loki’s brow scrunched up in confusion, his eyes darting between Odin and the cheese. Not exactly knowing or caring about ‘table manners’, the little giant stuck a fist in his mouth and began to suck, drool oozing out and down his chin. Odin wrinkled his nose and put his cheese to the side. “Hey, heeeey! Do you have to do that now? I’m eating.” He swiped at Loki’s mouth with a corner of the blanket and lifted him to hand back to a highly amused Frigga, who gently took him.

“He can’t help it.” Frigga laughed. “Although he probably did it on purpose to get back at you for putting that cheese in his face.”

“I know he can’t help it, but it’s not exactly what I want to see while I’m eating.” Odin grabbed for the cheese plate again. “And I apologize for the cheese.”

“Wha happen’ to your eye, Daddee?” Thor suddenly asked, turning questioning eyes to Odin and moving closer. “Did you hurt it in tha war?”

Odin’s smile widened as he stretched out his arm, wrapping it around Thor and pulling him closer. The All-Father prepared himself to go into a lengthy retelling of the events, taking care to make it as dramatic and adventurous as possible to intrigue the child. Thor straight way became immersed in the story and interrupted Odin often to ask questions like, “How many Frost Giunts did you kill?” or “Were you ‘fraid?”

Tuning everything out, Frigga dismissed Lífdís and settled back into her pillow, making herself comfortable. She picked Loki up under the arms and placed him to her shoulder, kissing his head and patting his back and bottom. Loki grabbed a handful of Frigga’s hair and pulled on it. He gazed curiously at the golden blonde curls in his fist before turning eyes up at his mother. From there, his eyes proceeded to wander over the rest of the room, scrutinizing everything and every detail in babyish wonder. He took in the elaborate carvings and designs and tapestries that made up the room’s décor and the shininess of the gold. It didn’t mean much to him, but it was very pretty. Every part of this new world was pretty and shiny! He liked shiny.

Loki paid particular attention to the balcony doors and the bright warm light that shone through. A butterfly fluttered close to the glass, landing on one part to sun itself. Loki suddenly let out a high-pitched squeal, pushing on Frigga’s shoulder to partly lift himself up to get a better view. His eyes sparkled with curiosity at the strange flying creature. It looked just like the ones that had been flying in his room last night! He liked those things. They were pretty, too.

Frigga looked from Loki to the window and smiled when she saw what had perked her little son’s interest. Glancing over at Odin and Thor, who were still heavily absorbed in their war stories, Frigga moved and got out of bed, softly walking over to the doors. She lifted Loki up to the part of the door where the butterfly rested on the other side. Loki extended tiny hands out to touch the window, trying to grasp the insect. He patted at the glass and curled his fingers but no matter what he did, he once again touched nothing but air…and the hard surface of the strange clear object in front of him.

He watched the butterfly fly away. Confusion and disappointment washed over his chubby face as he looked down, around, and then back at the spot where the curious creature had been sitting. He just couldn’t figure out where it went.

“I’m sorry, sweetie,” Frigga said in a consoling tone, pulling Loki back to her. “We’ll go out into the garden later where you can see more butterflies.”

That sounded fun to Loki. They needed to go there now! What was a garden anyway? Whatever it was it sounded lovely, especially if it meant he could see more of the—what were they called?—flutterbyes?—there.

Planting a kiss on Loki’s head, Frigga turned around and returned to the bed. Since she was already up, she might as well start her day. Odin and Thor were still in their storytelling trance, Odin finishing up the events surrounding losing his eye.

“…and that’s how I lost this eye,” he said, patting the bandages.

“Those giunts are monsters!” Thor shouted.

Loki’s head jerked around at the sudden loud comment.

“Muh?” he burbled, eyes flitting from Thor to Odin and then back at his mother. He didn’t know what monsters were, but it sounded frightening just the same. He already didn’t like that word.

“It wuz mean of them to take your eye. You shoulda killed more, Daddee!” said Thor.

“No, Thor. We don’t kill senselessly or for revenge. The giant responsible for my eye has already paid the price, thanks to the bravery of my friend. There’s no need to make others of his kind pay. A truce has been established between Jotunheim and Asgard for now. We must honor that and try our best to handle this peacefully.”

“If you say so,” Thor said, somewhat disappointed.

“Son, it is okay for a warrior to pick up his weapon and go into the heat of battle if the need to do so arises, especially if it means protecting those he loves or defending a cause he believes in, but he should not go looking for war or should not start it if the problem can be solved by peaceful means. If peace can be established and problems resolved without fighting, then that path should be taken above all others. Remember this, my son. In time you will understand and will know when to exercise this wisdom.”

“You fight for ‘cause?”

Odin smiled. “Yes, I fight for a cause. That cause is called peace and freedom. It’s what we of all the Nine Realms enjoy and partake in or some of us do anyway. The Frost Giants are ruthless and want to conquer and bend everyone to their will. They are power hungry and greedy, not satisfied with ruling their own realm. They would very much like to rule all of the realms, but I will not allow that to happen.”

“’Cause you took their caskitet!” Thor jumped up, his arms flapping at his sides.

“Yes, because I took their ‘caskitet’.”

“For freedom! For peace! For Afsgard!” Thor shouted, throwing a small fist into the air.

“For Asgard!” Odin chimed in, grinning.

“I wanna see tha caskitet.”

“Not until you’re older.” Odin reached out and tickled Thor’s belly, causing the child to giggle.

“Tell me tha story again, Daddee.”

“Tell it to you again?” Odin continued to smile. “I’d be glad to, but wouldn’t you like to hear a different one? Did your mother ever tell you of the time I battled Surtur and defeated him?”

Thor shook his head, his eyes becoming wide. “No.”

“You didn’t tell him that story?” Odin turned his gaze toward his wife. “That’s one of the best ones.”

“I didn’t want to give him nightmares,” Frigga answered, straightening her side of the bed the best she could while holding Loki in one arm.

“That wouldn’t give him nightmares. This boy’s an Odinson. We don’t get nightmares.”

“I wouldn’t be so cocky. Surtur could give anyone nightmares.”

“Tell me! Tell me!!” Thor bounced up and down.

“This happened way before you were born. Surtur, the fire demon, was threatening the realms. I took my spear Gungnir and mounted Sleipnir and rode off…”

“I think…that’s enough stories for one morning,” Frigga interrupted, taking Thor by the hand. “You need to go eat your breakfast.”

“Aw, Momma…I wanna hear tha storee”

“Let him stay. There’s more than enough food here already, he can eat breakfast with me today.” Odin gestured at the foods around him. From the tone of Odin’s voice, Frigga knew he wanted to tell the story more than Thor wanted to hear it. She couldn’t deny either of them of the pleasure.

She sighed. “If he has nightmares tonight, I won’t be held responsible.” She leaned over the bed and gave Loki to Thor. “Here, hold him a minute while I fix the sheets.”

Thor accepted his brother, struggling to keep Loki’s head held up while at the same time keeping his legs from dangling. Frigga reached over to show him how to correctly hold a baby. Thor held Loki tightly to his small body, determined not to drop him. He smiled down at the little face that peered back up at him with large eyes.

“Don’t worry, wittle brotha, I take good care of you,” said Thor, giving Loki’s forehead a kiss “I protect you and won’t let nothin’ happen to you. You may be Mommy’s Loki, but you my Loki too.”

Frigga smiled at Thor’s words as she finished tucking and straightening the sheet and smoothing out the wrinkles from the pillows. She then reached over and took Loki from Thor’s hands.

“Thank you, Thor. Loki and I will now leave you and your father to your stories.” She smiled as she held Loki to her shoulder, bouncing him gently when he started to whimper. “I’ll be back later.”

With that, Frigga turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. Odin motioned for Thor to join him. The little boy settled down next to his father and together they shared food and Odin told Thor of his magnificent adventure of the time he battled Surtur and all of his flaming demons to save the Nine Realms from destruction.


	4. First Trick

Frigga returned to the bedroom after an hour, Loki in her arms and Lífdís walking behind her. She pushed open the door and found Thor jumping up and down on the bed. The side she had painstakingly straightened earlier was now a crumpled mess with the pillows strewn across the floor. All of the empty breakfast plates and cups were neatly stacked on the table, waiting for a servant to come and remove them. Odin was just coming out of one of the adjoining dressing rooms, adjusting his belt and parts of his suit and grumbling as he walked forward. He glanced up at Frigga and smiled.

“Ah. My dear, could you help me with this, please?” said Odin. “I would ask one of the servants to do it, but no one can dress me like you can.”

“That’s because it’s a wife’s job.” Frigga smiled. “Only a wife can dress her man.” The All-Mother ignored her bounding son, for the time being, and handed Loki over to the nursemaid and walked across the room to help with Odin’s armor. She straightened out his cape and shoulder guards and pushed his chest plates into place.

“Really, dear husband, must you wear all of this today?” Frigga griped, grabbing hold of the massive belt and shifting it around and buckling it in front.

“It’s what I’ll be wearing at tonight’s ceremony and activities. I had to see if it still fits.”

“Thor, that’s enough. Get down this instant,” Frigga said sternly, turning around to face the annoying bouncing and squeaking that was still going on behind her.

“Lífdís, help him off the bed.” She motioned for the nursemaid to assist Thor down before addressing her son again. “How many times have I told you not to jump on the beds?”

“I’m sowwy, Mommy,” said Thor, practically jumping into Lífdís’s arms. The woman struggled to keep her hold on Loki while trying to prevent Thor from injuring himself on the night table. When Thor was finally brought under control, Lífdís bent over and put the stray pillows back on the bed and tried to straighten out the sheets to look somewhat presentable.

“You don’t have to worry with that, Lífdís, the servants will tend to it later.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“He’s a child, Frigga; let him have fun while he’s still young.” Odin smiled as he watched the nursemaid lead Thor to the door.

“He can have fun all he wants, but I’ll not have him destroying the furniture.” 

“Pssh, jumping on the beds won’t destroy them. I used to do it myself when I was Thor’s age.”

“But did your parents allow it?”

“Well, no, but I did it anyway when they weren’t looking. Everything was fine. The bed wasn’t destroyed.”

Frigga smirked and shook her head while doing more adjusting to Odin’s belt. Like father, like son, she thought.

“There! I think that will do,” she said.

Odin inspected his wife’s work, nodding approvingly. He turned to peer at his reflection in a nearby mirror, turning around. “It still fits perfectly, don’t you think?”

“Of course, it does. You haven’t put on that much weight since you left. All of that fighting has kept you fit and limber. Stop worrying about it. You look wonderful.” The All-Mother smiled.

“Thank you, my dear.” Odin looked at his wounded face, his brow furrowing. “Now I just need to get an eye patch made for this eye of mine. I’ll speak with the dwarfs this afternoon. Maybe they can have it done by tonight. Can’t go to the funeral and celebration looking like this.” He patted and poked at the bandages, wincing at the pain he felt shoot through the side of his head.

“Forget the eye patch and your appearance. I would keep those on if I were you, at least until it heals more. You don’t want to make it worse than it already is.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Odin grumbled.

Frigga nervously twisted part of her nightgown in her hand, her face showing that her mind was occupied with other thoughts. She had to talk with Odin about the recent concern involving Loki and moving him into their bedroom. She needed to do it as soon as possible before something drastic happened. Since Odin seemed to be in a good mood, she thought it best that she go ahead and bring up the subject. Better to go ahead and get it over with so she could relax the rest of the day and not have the concern hanging over her head, as well as the dread of bringing it before Odin. It was also best to go ahead and do it before something happened to put the All-Father in a foul mood. She felt that he would understand the situation and allow her to move Loki into their room, but there was still a tickle of fear in her stomach. She knew her husband could be stubborn and could have a temper, especially if he was confronted with things that gave him an excuse to be stubborn, which sometimes could be anything and all things.

Finally letting go of her nightgown’s skirt, Frigga faced the nursemaid. “Lífdís, take Thor and Loki back to the nursery and watch them until I get there.”

Lífdís nodded and ushered a hyper Thor out of the bedroom. Frigga closed the door behind them and leaned against it. She could hear Thor running down the length of the hall, shouting something about Surtur. She turned to her husband, a contemplative look on her face. She would do it. The worst Odin could do is fly into a raging fit, yell at her, and his face turn red.

“Odin,” she started. No backing out of it now, “I’m going to have Loki’s cradle brought in here so he can sleep with us.”

“In here?!” Odin turned from the mirror. “No, Frigga, he will not sleep in here. I will not have a screaming infant in the same room where I sleep. I’ve already spent enough sleepless nights out on the battlefield. I’d like to finally get caught up in the quietness of my own home. He will sleep in the nursery along with Thor.”

“But, Odin, because of a…small circumstance that’s come up…I think it would be best that he sleep in our room.”

“What small circumstance?”

Frigga walked over to stand beside her husband, stealing a quick glance at the door as if she expected someone to be listening in on them.

“Last night I noticed that he’s having difficulty keeping his Asgardian form,” she said in a low voice. 

“What?” said Odin, not entirely understanding what his wife meant.

“He seems to revert back into his Jotun form when he sleeps,” Frigga explained. “I don’t know why. I couldn’t sleep last night, so I got up and went to the nursery to hold him again, and I found him in his Jotun form. But the moment he opened his eyes and saw me he changed back to his Asgardian form.”

“Hmmm…” Odin mused.

“Is that normal?”

“Normal,” Odin repeated, his eyebrows rising. “The question should be: Is Loki normal? To which, the answer would be no. Frost Giants are not shapeshifters.”

“Odin, we can’t have Lífdís or Thor seeing him like that. What if Lífdís has to tend to him during the night and finds him as a Jotun? One scream from her would sound the alarm that we’re trying to avoid.” Odin pondered his wife’s words as she continued. “And what if Thor accidentally sees him as a Jotun? How are we to explain it to him? All of the stories we’ve told him about the Frost Giants being monsters and then we suddenly tell him that his new brother is one of them. That’s going to go over well. Besides, he’s still a very young child, and young children don’t understand what it means to keep secrets. It wouldn’t take long before this particular secret would slip out of his mouth when he’s in the presence of others.”

“This is true.” Odin nodded thoughtfully. “It is indeed a problem, a problem I wasn’t expecting.”

“Loki needs to be in here with us, at least until we figure out why he keeps reverting into a Jotun. It scares me that he’s in the nursery and so open to being found out.”

“I understand your concern, and you’re right. We can’t have the nursemaid and Thor seeing him in that form,” said Odin calmly, stroking his beard. “Alright, you may have the cradle moved in here for now. But only until his shifting sorts itself out.”

Frigga kissed her husband’s cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I’ll try my best to keep him as quiet as possible. The moment he starts crying, I’ll get up to tend to him and take him out of the room if need be.”

“Yes, you do that,” Odin pointed a finger at her.

Frigga silently sighed with relief to hear that her husband understood the situation and to see him give in to the idea so quickly. The conversation had gone over better than she first expected. After the relief washed over her, her heart immediately filled with joy. Not only did she want Loki brought into their room because of his shifting problem, but she also wanted him nearer to her at nights.

“It is puzzling about him reverting. I wonder why he can’t hold his Asgardian form.” Odin continued to muse, adjusting something on his armor. “He seemed to be holding it quite well when I had him.”

“Could it be because he’s young and weak?”

“Aye, it could be. Runts are normally weak and puny. We’ll keep an eye on him and see what happens.”

The All-Mother watched as Odin walked to the door and let himself out. Suddenly fear hit her. Had she done the right thing by telling him about Loki’s shifting problem? What if his shifting never sorted out? Would she be forced to give him up? The thought of it was too horrible to bear. It was a thought that made a sickly feeling bubble inside her stomach. She noticed that Odin didn’t seem to care much for the child, which puzzled her. Maybe it was because of what the child was. Battling Frost Giants for that many years could have built up resentment toward them. It was understandable. Odin had just come home from that battle and the war was still fresh in the air. If that was the case, then why did he even bother bringing Loki back to Asgard with him?

It was all rather confusing to the All-Mother, and she didn’t really feel like dampening her day by thinking about it. She placed a hand on her chest, idly playing at the fringe on her nightgown. She looked down, remembering that she hadn’t taken the time to properly dress for the day. Sighing, she turned and entered her dressing room.

A few minutes later, the All-Mother walked out while wearing a plain tan dress having a low cut collar and no sleeves. She brushed the wrinkles out of the skirt, turning around to look at herself in the mirror. It was nothing fancy; just an everyday dress that she wore to lounge in. It was perfect for a trip to the garden. She had plans to spend as much time with Loki as possible, so she wanted something that she didn’t mind a baby tearing up or throwing up on, as most babies usually do. She learned that the hard way a long time ago. She had unpleasant memories of Thor destroying a lot of her prized dresses the first couple of weeks of him coming into her care. Some had been thoroughly vomited on, while others had had their decorations ripped completely off from Thor grabbing hold of them. After that heartache, she quickly realized that she needed dresses that would hold up around babies and that she didn’t mind if they were destroyed. Not finding anything to her liking at the shops in the village, she took it upon herself to specially make them with her own hands. The dresses were one piece and were durable, loose fitting, comfortable, flexible, and free of lace and other decorative ornaments that could be pulled or ripped off by tiny, grabby hands. She made the skirt long but coming up around the middle of her calves so that Thor could easily grab and hold on to it while she walked. This proved to be a useful feature when Thor was first learning to walk. It thrilled the All-Mother to think that Loki would be using it for that purpose before long.

Checking over her dress again, Frigga slipped on some comfortable slipper-like shoes and walked out of the room and down the hallway until she got to the nursery. Opening the door, she was instantly greeted by pandemonium. Thor was off in his own little world as he ran around the room, leaping off the furniture and swinging a wooden sword and shouting, “For Afsgard!” along with something about battling Surtur and Frost Giants and random swishing sword noises he made with his mouth. She mentally thanked Odin for that. Judging by Thor’s energy, she could only guess that Odin had given him some kind of sweets for breakfast.

On top of it all, Lífdís was busy trying to calm an irritated Loki, who screamed as loud as he could at the top of his lungs. Frigga shook her head at Thor and crossed the room to take Loki from the nursemaid’s arms.

“There, there, my angel, what’s wrong?” she said, kissing Loki and patting his back. “It’s too early in the day to be this unhappy.”

Loki immediately quieted his crying at feeling his mother’s touch and nuzzled his face into her shoulder. He felt safe now. He didn’t care much for the other woman. She smelt funny.

Lífdís sighed with relief, looking on in amazement at the effect Frigga had on the child.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with him. He just started bawling the moment I walked in here,” Lífdís said, throwing a blanket into the crib. “Apparently, he wanted you.”

“You sweet thing,” Frigga continued to coo as she applied more kisses to Loki’s head and patted his back. Loki gurgled in response. “Lífdís, I feel like visiting the garden today. Maybe we could have lunch out there.”

“That sounds lovely,” Lífdís replied, noticing that her queen made a strange face. “Is there something wrong?”

With a smile, Frigga turned to the nursemaid. “You and Thor go ahead. I’ll join you there in a little while, right after I change Loki.” She placed a hand between her and Loki and felt of the wet spot there.

“He didn’t need changing a moment ago. If you want, I’ll change him for you.”

“Well, he needs changing now. And, no, that’s okay. I would like to change him myself.” Frigga continued to smile while holding up a wet hand for Lífdís to see. “I think we need to start using a thicker cloth for our diapers.” She made her way to the table across from them, turning to Thor. “Thor, go with Lífdís. She’s going to take you out to the garden.”

“Tha garden?”

“Yes, the garden. So you can fight the Frost Giants out there.”

“Frost Giunts!” Thor shouted, stabbing the air with his sword. “I fight them off to protec’ tha garden!”

“And Surtur’s hiding in a cave under the lily pond,” Frigga added with a grin. She and Lífdís chuckled at Thor’s excitement, Lífdís walking over to push Thor out of the room.

“Oh, Lífdís,” Frigga turned around, catching the nursemaid before she left. Lífdís turned to face the queen, “When you can, tell one of the servants that I want this cradle moved into our bedroom. And I’ll need a small table to go with it, along with a supply of diapers.”

“Sure thing,” Lífdís replied as she motioned for Thor to go back out into the hall, “Is Loki going to sleep with you?”

“For now, yes.” She searched for the right words to use. “I’d feel better if he was near me until he gets stronger. I don’t like him being so far away.”

Lífdís nodded that she understood, pushing a jumping Thor out the door for the third time. When both of them left, Lífdís closing the door behind her, Frigga turned and laid Loki on a blanket spread out on the table and began removing the soiled clothing. By now he had stopped crying completely and was perfectly content to lay there and watch the All-Mother pull off the one-piece jumper he was dressed in and then the cloth diaper. He didn’t exactly understand everything. In fact, he had quickly found this part of his daily routine to be most…unpleasant. He tolerated it, though, because he knew the actions led to comfort and not being wet…or worse. At least it was—what was she called? Mommy?—doing it and not that other woman. The other woman was too rough and she didn’t dry him off completely before putting another cloth on, making it most uncomfortable. She also had accidentally stuck him with one of the pins.

To get his mind off the diaper changing, Loki tried focusing his attention on something else, like the ceiling. His eyes studied each painted star in turn. They looked like some of those pretties that floated in the air last night. They were a nice shape.

Loki turned his attention back on Frigga. The All-Mother hummed a joyful tune as she washed and dried him and reached for a fresh piece of cloth that would serve as a diaper. Loki suddenly giggled, inserting a fist into his mouth. He didn’t know why he found the situation funny, but he did. It was a beautiful day and he just felt like laughing.

“Well, I’m glad someone finds humor in all of this,” Frigga said, grinning down at Loki. “Believe me; this part of having a baby is never pleasant. But I must say you have the cutest heinie in all of the Nine Realms.” Loki laughed more as Frigga lifted his legs up and playfully patted his rear before leaning over to nuzzle his face.

Loki giggled again, blowing a raspberry and kicking his legs, knocking the diaper out of Frigga’s hands. He was making it difficult for Frigga to put it on him, and he knew it. Setting aside the diaper, the All-Mother leaned over him again and blew the little round belly exposed to her, making Loki squeal with even more laughter, arms and legs flailing.

“You’re worth every moment of it, sunshine,” she said, taking his hands in hers and putting her mouth to them and pretending to nibble on them. Tiny fingers curled and uncurled and grabbed at her lips and nose. She leaned down even more and wrapped her arms around Loki and nuzzled his face again and tickled his tummy with her fingers, sending the little giant into fits of uncontrollable laughter. He kicked his feet against her chest and flapped his arms.

The All-Mother was so engrossed in the happiness that her new little bundle gave her that she was completely unaware of the spurt of liquid that suddenly erupted from the other end of the kicking baby until she felt a strange warmness next to her skin.

“What the…?” Frigga looked down at the massive wet spot trailing down the front of her dress. She stepped away and turned a shocked face to Loki, who had burst out in a new fit of giggles and laughter as if he knew exactly what he had done. “You little squirt,” Frigga said with a laugh. “You peed on me. I can’t say I ever had Thor to do that when he was your age.” Frigga smiled and continued to tickle Loki’s tummy. Loki squealed and blew spit bubbles. Grinning, she rolled him over on his side and patted his bottom. “You little imp. I can see right now that you’re going to be an interesting challenge.” She lifted Loki up and planted a kiss on his cheek and held him close to her face while she spread out a cloth on the table. “Now, let’s get you washed off again and get this diaper on you before you decide to do more decorating.”

When the task of diapering Loki and dressing him in clean clothing was over, Frigga walked back to her bedroom to change her own clothing. She placed Loki on the bed while she entered the dressing room for the second time that day. When she came out, she held up two lounge dresses for Loki to see.

“Which one do you think I should wear?” she asked with all of the seriousness in the world as if Loki understood and could answer her. Loki looked at the dresses and Frigga with bright eyes and smiled around the fingers in his mouth. Frigga held out one of the choices, a dark green dress, and turned it around so Loki could see it at every angle. “How about this one?”

“Mu! Daaaaaaa!” Loki squealed, lifting a hand toward it before putting said hand back into his mouth. Spit and drool seeped out around it as he gummed it. He didn’t know much about dresses, in fact, he didn’t know anything about them at all, but the one she held up was pretty. He liked that color. It was a nice color. It was the same color as those flying things.

“The green one it is then, little one.” Frigga’s smiled turned into a grin.


	5. Lunch in the Garden

Frigga always spent a lot of her time in the palace gardens. After Odin had left for the war she quickly found it to be her place of refuge. It was a place where she could escape to every afternoon and enjoy time alone, away from the humdrum life that usually went on inside the palace. It was a place where she could go and be away from the servants and do things for herself. She would always take a good book with her and spend hours reading under her favorite tree by the pond. It had helped her to forget the war and danger that lurked just outside the realm if only for a few hours. Some days she took Thor with her, other times she had left him with the nursemaid so she could have a break and some alone time.

Even though she had seen the gardens many times, she still marveled at the sheer beauty the place offered every time she stepped out onto the lush and vibrant green grass. Never had she seen such a beautiful place where trees and flowers of every variety grew and the air was filled with the comforting and sweet scent of everything combined. The flowers were her favorite part, especially the ones that grew between the pond and her favorite tree. They were a type of Asgardian orchid, having large petals that ranged from bright pinks, purples, and yellows to the deepest blues that resembled the night sky. No matter their color, all of them were decorated with silvery splotches and designs that shimmered in the afternoon sun.

The garden was also full of animal life as birds of every kind flew around in the tops of the trees, singing out their joyous songs while squirrels skittered from branch to branch forever on the search for nuts and other delectable snacks the trees offered. Beautifully colored butterflies and buzzing bees occupied the flowers while fish swam in the pond. There were shy rabbits and other small critters that occasionally made their appearance. One of which poked its head out from under a nearby bush to watch the Queen of Asgard make her way across the lawn to the place where her nursemaid sat.

“What happened?” Lífdís asked with concern, watching Frigga walk up and sit down on the grass beside her. She noticed that the All-Mother was wearing a different dress. “Changing a diaper doesn’t take that long.”

“Loki peed on me,” Frigga replied, putting Loki on her lap and giving him the stuffed rattle cat she had brought. She was struggling to keep a straight face the whole time. “So I had to change my dress.”

Lífdís held a hand up to her face to hide the giggle that came out. Both women watched as Loki put part of the toy cat into his mouth and chewed on it.

“You little rascal.” Frigga lifted Loki up and smooched his face. Loki just smiled, eyes fixated on Lífdís. He concentrated on chewing the cat he held in his hands, tugging on its tail and shaking it to make the rattle sound loud.

“Gah!” Loki chirped, holding the cat out and offering it to Frigga.

“Yeah, you’re a rascal.” She smiled, giving him another smooch.

Loki gazed around him at all of the beauty before his eyes. His small mind whirled with wonder as he peered at the leafy branches of the trees and the colorful flowers and the shiny surface of the pond beside them. Was this the garden? It had to be the garden. It was pretty! Loki twisted his head to look at the area behind him and saw Thor digging around in a dirt mound with a stick. Quickly he snapped his head back around to take in the rest of the garden, his eyes wide and dancing. Never had he seen anything so beautiful, bright, and colorful. Well, he hadn’t seen much of anything since the day he was born, but what he had seen was mostly the white, ice-covered landscapes of Jotunheim and the dark interior of the Frost Giant dwellings, which, he admitted, had been positively dull and boring even for a baby. He hadn’t understood what all of that had been about anyway, but he did know that it had been horrible, uncomfortable, and loud. Did everyone’s life start out like that? He assumed it did. But Mommy was here now, and everything was okay.

Loki let out a squeal and clapped his hands together, a smile spreading across his face. He beamed with excitement and wanted to grab everything at once. He stretched his hands toward the nearest objects, which were, sadly, out of his reach. So he settled instead for releasing his energy by flapping his arms and staring at the tree branches that extended out over his head. He watched in fascination as they gently swayed in the breeze. They were the same pretty color as Mommy’s dress, too.

“Mup…” Loki blurted, holding a hand outward toward the branch, his eyes moving quickly and taking in every detail as if trying to understand what the strange object was.

“Leaves,” Frigga said in a gentle tone, looking from the branch to Loki’s perplexed face.

“Bah!” He smiled and put a curled fist to his mouth, never once taking his eyes off the branch. Frigga and Lífdís chuckled. Carefully the All-Mother positioned Loki on her lap in a way where he could see everything going on, which proved to be more challenging than she had expected. Loki was full of energy and constantly wiggled, kicked, and bounced, succeeding in sliding off her a couple of times until she wrapped an arm around him and hugged him close to her. Loki let out an irritated whine mixed with a cry as he struggled to get out of Frigga’s hold. He didn’t want to stay here! He wanted to explore this new world, never mind the fact that he could neither crawl nor walk yet or didn’t even know about such things. He eventually got tired of fighting and turned his attention back to the branch above them, sitting quietly as he studied it intently.

“You still haven’t told me where he came from,” Lífdís said in a hushed tone. Frigga turned to face the nursemaid. Lífdís pointed at the wiggling Loki. “I don’t mean to sound as if I’m prying, your majesty, but I know you couldn’t have given birth to him. You showed no signs of being with child before last night. Besides, it doesn’t make sense since Odin just got back from the war.”

A faint, nervous smile played across Frigga’s lips as she ran a hand over Loki’s head. She felt a part of her sink inside as she thought of words to say that wouldn’t be a lie. Somehow she knew that she would sooner or later end up having to tell Lífdís since she was the one she had chosen to care for the children when she couldn’t be around. Lífdís had a right to know above anyone else, but for some reason, Frigga couldn’t bring herself to tell the nursemaid everything. Not yet.

“He’s…an orphan of the war. Odin found him abandoned, brought him home, and we adopted him.” Frigga held a finger up at Lífdís, glancing over at Thor. The little blond-headed boy was still digging in the dirt on the other side of the garden, out of earshot. “You will speak of this to no one, not even Thor. It’s to remain a secret.”

Lífdís held the All-Mother’s gaze, not really understanding Frigga’s concern and choice to keep it a secret. There was no crime in adopting a baby. She assumed it had something to do with the fact that they were all royalty. There was probably some unknown law somewhere that stated that it was forbidden for the royal family of Asgard to adopt children.

Finally, she nodded. “As you wish, my queen; your secret is safe with me.” She eyed Loki then looked at Frigga again. “Though, I fail to understand why it has to be kept a secret. There’s nothing wrong with adopting children.”

Frigga nodded in agreement. “No, there isn’t. But…I…it’s Odin’s decision. All we can do is honor it.” She hushed her tone to be even lower. “From now on Loki is our child and he’s part of this family, and we must treat him as such. I will not have him being treated any differently just because he’s adopted.”

“Yes, ma’am,” said Lífdís. Loki looked up at Frigga and then at Lífdís. What did they mean by ‘adopted’? He continued to stare at the nursemaid somewhat displeasingly and frowned. He still didn’t like her. She didn’t handle him the way Frigga did, and he still couldn’t forget that she had been rough when she changed his diaper earlier that morning. He was still grateful that she had changed him because he was very uncomfortable before she did, not to mention he smelt bad, but she didn’t handle him properly.

Lífdís smiled down at him, moving her hand to gently pinch his cheek. Loki blew a raspberry at the nursemaid before turning to Frigga.

“That was very rude, Loki,” Frigga scolded. Loki looked into her eyes and smiled. “That was rude,” she repeated, unable to resist smiling back at the innocent face.

“Mwah!” Loki chirped, reaching out to grab at his mother’s dress. Frigga’s smile turned into a grin as Loki toppled over. He would have fallen off her lap backward if it hadn’t been for Frigga catching him just in time. She picked him up and set him upright again, running a hand over the thin black hair on his head to smooth down the cowlicks that were sticking straight up and out. Not being able to sit still for long, Loki leaned forward and reached down at the grass. He wasn’t sure what it was but it was the same color as the branch above him and the dress his mother wore. All he knew is that he had an unmistakable urge to touch it. And touch it he did. Frigga held on to him as he shifted his weight forward and grabbed a handful of grass in his small fist, uprooting it. He squealed and laughed at the simple accomplishment, flapping arms and fingering the grass blades with his free hand. It felt weird. Not at all fuzzy like it appeared.

“No, Loki!” Frigga blurted out, quickly reaching to grab hold of Loki’s hand just as he was about to put the grass in his mouth. She forced it out of his hand, which resulted in Loki breaking out in annoyed tears. “Awww, it’s okay, sweetie. Don’t cry. It would have tasted horrible.” She planted a kiss on his cheek.

Loki hushed his crying and looked at Frigga, his hands going up to his face.

“Muh?” he said. If it tasted anything like the soap then he was glad she had stopped him. A slight shiver washed over his body at remembering the taste of that horrid thing. Hands still around his mouth, he looked from Frigga to Lífdís and then down at the grass. His eyes then looked out across the garden. If it tasted that badly, then why was there so much of it?

Lífdís stretched her hands out to Loki, inviting him into her arms. Loki refused the invitation, looking at the outstretched arms as if they offended him before turning his eyes up to look Lífdís in the face. He blew another raspberry at the nursemaid and quickly turned his head to the side to look toward the pond.

“I see right now that we’re going to have to work on your manners, young man,” said Frigga with a chuckle. Seeing that the servants were bringing their lunch, Frigga spread a blanket out on the grass next to her and laid Loki on his back on it. She placed the stuffed toy cat next to him, within easy reach. Immediately he looked to make sure Frigga was still there. He watched a few minutes as the servants busied themselves with placing dishes, cups, and saucers on another blanket in front of the two women. Frigga shouted for Thor to come and join them, and it wasn’t long until the little boy bounded up and plopped himself down on the grass beside Lífdís.

“Just look at you,” Frigga fussed. “You’re filthy.”

“I’ve been playin’ in tha dirt!” Thor announced proudly.

“I can see that.” Frigga picked up a cloth napkin and began wiping Thor’s hands.

Loki couldn’t understand. He thought his brother’s name was Thor. Why was Mommy calling him ‘Filthy’? He curiously watched as Mommy continued wiping off Thor’s hands and face. When she was done, she took a bottle and offered it to Loki, gently pushing the nipple into his mouth. Loki took hold of the bottle and removed his lips from it, looking up at her and back to the commotion going on around the picnic area. He was grateful for the meal, but everything else was more interesting to him than actually eating. Frigga tried again to push the nipple into his mouth. Again Loki pulled his head away, emitting an irritated cry and pushing on Frigga’s hip with his feet. She smiled and ran a hand over his head before putting the bottle beside him and turning her attention to her own meal.

When the fascination of everyone else eating wore off, Loki sighed and turned his head to investigate his new surroundings, letting his bottle of milk roll to the side. He curled his legs and feet against his body and sucked on one of his thumbs. He peered up. Through the thinner branches of the tree, he could see the bright blue sky above him and watched as fluffy white clouds sauntered by in a lazy fashion. He remembered looking up before the one-eyed man had found him and took him away, but the view then was nothing like this.

“Gah!” Loki burbled, stretching a hand out toward the fluffy white things. He placed a wet thumb back in his mouth and craned his head around to see where the great blue thing stopped. He was shocked to find that it never ended. Instead, it surrounded the whole area and went on farther than he could see. It went on and on until it met the green stuff he was laying on. And every inch of it was filled with puffy white balls that contorted and changed their shape and merged together as they drifted along.

“Eeeeeee! Bah!” Loki squealed, his eyes following the cloud that was currently hovering over him. He clapped his hands and kicked his legs. He wanted to touch the fluffy! It looked so soft and squishy.

“What are you doing, angel?” Frigga said with a chuckle, smiling down at the tiny giant who was repeatedly kicking her in the side. “I hope you know that you’re giving me bruises.” She touched his nose with the tip of her finger and turned her attention back to her lunch.

Loki didn’t appear to hear or acknowledge her, however, as he gazed around at all of the flowers. His attention was quickly diverted when a rather large blue and black butterfly glided past him and landed on one of the flowers nearest him. He squealed loudly, flapping all four limbs as if he could lift off the ground and take off flying after it. He rocked back and forth and struggled to turn himself over. Not bothering to turn her head, Frigga instinctively reached out and placed a hand on him to keep him in place, giving his tummy a few pats and a scratch with the tips of her fingers. He turned his eyes to her and then turned to look at the butterfly.

“Naaaaah da!” he squealed, reaching for the butterfly. Frigga turned to see what was exciting her son and smiled when she caught sight of the butterfly. She slowly stretched out a hand toward the insect, prodding it to move off the flower and onto her finger. Gently, she lowered it down so Loki could have a better view of the creature that entranced him so. Seeing it up close sent Loki into a fit of glee and movement, his eyes sparkling.

“Shhh, you don’t want to frighten it,” said the All-Mother, still smiling at the pleasure on Loki’s face. Loki stopped moving, looking up at Frigga and then back at the butterfly. He reached out to touch it, but the butterfly crawled farther up Frigga’s hand and stopped on her wrist. Loki curled his fingers around Frigga’s outstretched finger and attempted to pull her hand toward him, reaching toward the butterfly with his other hand. The butterfly inched up a little bit more before stopping again and turning around. Without warning, the butterfly spread its wings and glided over to land on Loki’s forehead.

At first, it took Loki a full minute to realize what had happened. But when he discovered that the curious insect had landed on his head his eyes widened, his mouth hung open, and he raised his hands up to try and feel around for it. The butterfly kept moving out of the way of his fingers each time he came within a few inches of touching it. After awhile, it was clear that the butterfly was playing a sort of game with the little giant.

Frigga laughed at the expression on Loki’s face and the whole show of him trying to touch it. Loki squealed again. This is fun, he thought! At last, he got to touch a real live one of these things. He moved his head around, trying to see where the butterfly was. His actions caused the butterfly to crawl around the side of his head and onto the front of his face. The tickling feeling perked Loki and he turned his head back around to face Frigga, his eyes squinting closed when he realized the butterfly had stopped right on top of his nose.

“Bu-bu…” said Loki, going cross-eyed as he strained to see the beautiful wings of the creature on his face. He wanted to touch it. He had his hands partly raised, but instead he settled for just admiring it.

The All-Mother spewed her tea all over her and the ground as an outburst of laughter escaped her. Lífdís and Thor craned their necks to see what was making her laugh so much and grinned when they saw Loki and the butterfly.

“I’m sorry.” Frigga laughed, taking a napkin and wiping off her dress. “I can’t say that I’ve laughed that hard in several years.”

Loki flinched when the butterfly suddenly took off, floating through the air to land on some flowers across from them. He reached up and rubbed the tickling feel from his nose and looked over to where the butterfly now sat. He watched it with longing eyes, wondering why it left him. He wouldn’t harm it. He wanted it to come back. He stretched out a hand toward it, but no matter what he did the creature ignored him. Didn’t it like Loki?

When Loki turned back around, he was looking at the nipple of a bottle being shoved in his face. His eyes looked up at Frigga and back at the bottle. Slowly he gave in and closed his mouth around it.

 

After lunch, Lífdís took Thor back to the castle for his afternoon nap, leaving Frigga alone with Loki. She silently admitted to herself that she was glad to finally be alone. Now she could spend time with her new son in her favorite spot. She picked him up off his blanket. A smile spread across her face as she planted a kiss on his head. Loki closed his eyes to acknowledge the kiss but opened them back up as quickly as possible as if he were afraid something extraordinary was going to happen and he didn’t want to miss it.

“Thank you for the laugh, little one,” Frigga whispered, resting her cheek against Loki’s head. “I think I needed it to help remind me that there’s more to life than the grim things.” She remembered the funeral she was to attend that night before quickly shoving it out of her mind and giving Loki another kiss. “Thank you for bringing a ray of sunshine into my life.”

Thumb in mouth, Loki looked up into Frigga’s face, his innocent eyes sparkling. He didn’t understand what she was talking about, but it sounded like a good thing.

“Mup,” he said as if saying, “You’re welcome.”

“You’re adorable,” Frigga said with a chuckle, running her hand over Loki’s soft head. “You’re going to grow up to be a handsome young man some day.” She cradled him in her arms as she leaned back against the tree. She could tell that Loki was fighting sleep. His eyelids kept drooping, but he was struggling to keep himself awake.

“Why don’t you take a nap, little one?” Frigga ran the tips of her fingers along Loki’s cheek. “Everything will still be here when you wake up.” She began to rock him and hum a soft tune. Loki was losing the battle. His eyes started closing, despite trying to keep at least one of them open. Finally, he yawned and gave up. He closed his eyes and snuggled next to Frigga, practically curling himself into a tight little ball in the crook of her arm. He sighed contentedly as he listened to and felt the beating of Frigga’s heart. He liked this place. He felt safe here.

And he liked the way she smelt.

She smelt like Mommy.


	6. Saying Goodbye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize that it’s taken me so long to get updates out for this fic. I’ve been busy with life and work these days and have been trying to work on fanfics in-between it all. Not only that but this chapter was a pain and a half to get out. I don’t know why, but it was. It was preventing this story from moving forward. And it was getting to the point where I was tired of working on it, so I took a break to clear my mind and came back to it. Just this week I decided to split it up into two chapters because it was getting to be overly long. I’m really glad to finally get it done and uploaded so I can move on to the next couple of chapters. I still feel like this chapter and chapter 7 came out weaker than some of my others, but oh well. I'm done working on them for now and am ready to move on.
> 
> Hopefully now I can start popping chapters out faster.

When Loki woke up from his nap, he wasn’t in the garden anymore nor was he nestled in Frigga’s arm. Instead, he was lying on something plump and soft and staring up at a ceiling decorated in gold.

He was disappointed.

Mommy said that everything would still be there when he woke up. But the garden wasn’t there anymore, and neither was Mommy. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, hiccupped once, and looked around him. Where was Mommy? He whimpered when he didn’t see anyone he recognized near him. Next to him was the little stuffed cat. Turning over to his left he could see the bed that he slept in. Beside it was a table and on the table was a stack of cloth and a few other items he had seen in the nursery: some bottles, a jar full of safety pins, and a small pitcher and wash basin. Everything Mommy used to change him. He cringed.

“Aaahhhh!” he wailed a little louder.

Frigga poked her head out of the dressing room and smiled. “I see someone’s finally awake.”

Loki smiled when he saw her. He curled his feet up close to his body before kicking them outward. Frigga continued to smile as she walked over to the side of the bed and picked Loki up and cradled him in her arms.

“I’m sorry that I had to cut our visit to the garden short, little one,” she said softly. “There are a lot of things that need to be done today, and Odin insisted that I pick out what I’m going to wear to the funeral and celebration feast tonight.”

She kissed Loki’s head and placed him down on the bed again. She could hear Odin and Thor talking out in the hallway as they approached the bedroom door.

“…and that, my son, is how the dwarfs make our weapons,” said Odin proudly. He walked in and closed the door. Thor was happily perched on his shoulders, bouncing in delight at the recent story Odin obviously told him. He held a wooden sword in his hand.

“Can I see tem sometay?” Thor asked. “I wanna watch ‘em make tha weppins!”

“Perhaps,” Odin lowered Thor onto the bed. “Perhaps, when you are older, my son. Until then, you can marvel at their craftsmanship here.” He reached into a pocket on his suit and pulled out a couple of curious little mechanical toys. At first glance they appeared to be nothing more than pieces of metal and gears put together in the shapes of a duck and a rabbit, but when Odin stuck a small key into one and turned it the mechanism inside sprang to life. Thor watched in awe as the little toy started to walk across the bedspread in a funny way. It made a whirring, clacking noise as it did so, almost sounding like ‘quacking’.

Thor giggled over it, carefully picking it up and setting it down again.

Odin wound up the rabbit and set it down. Instead of walking in the same way as the duck, it slowly crouched down before springing upward in a hop, turning a complete somersault backward and landing perfectly on its feet again to repeat the action. The suddenness of it startled everyone, sending Thor into a fit of laughter. He turned his eyes to Odin and then back at the toys.

Frigga lifted Loki up to a sitting position and held him there so he could see the toys too. The rabbit caught Loki’s attention almost immediately. He stopped gumming his fingers and silently eyed the toy as if it held all of the secrets of the universe. Each time it hopped and did a new somersault, every part of his body jumped. He glanced up at Frigga and smiled and turned his attention back to the toys.

“Mup!” he said, flapping his arms in the air. He didn’t know what these odd things were, but he liked them. He especially liked the hopping one. It was fun! He reached out and grabbed hold of the rabbit and picked it up to look at it closer. Despite being turned upside down, the rabbit’s feet kept on moving as it tried in vain to hop out of Loki’s hand. Loki jumped at each attempt, finally getting up enough nerve to poke a curious finger at it before placing it in his mouth.

“No, no,” Frigga said gently. She reached and removed the toy from his mouth. “That’s not to eat.”

Loki whined in annoyance, jerking his hand out of Frigga’s and protectively pulling the toy closer to him out of fear that she would take it away from him.

“Put it here,” said Thor, patting the bed, “so it can hop.” Loki looked at the bed and then at Thor. He didn’t exactly understand what his brother meant, but he had the feeling that he was saying for Loki to give the toy up. That wasn’t going to happen. Loki pulled the toy closer to him and scowled, emitting a faint whine.

Frigga chuckled, patting Loki’s back. He squealed and held the toy up for her to see.

“Yes, I see. It’s very pretty,” she said, wrapping her hand around Loki’s. She turned to Odin. “Wherever did you get such unique little things?”

“From the dwarfs, of course.” Odin reached and saved the duck from falling off the side of the bed and placed it back in a safe spot. “One of them came to see me today and brought these as gifts. He said that Thor might enjoy them.”

Frigga looked down at Loki when Odin failed to mention him. Of course, the dwarf couldn’t have known about him, so that’s why he had said Thor only. But—

“And, of course, our newest member that he didn’t know about,” Odin said. He smiled and ran one of his huge hands over Loki’s head. Loki drew back a little at the sudden action, slowly putting the toy he held to his lips. He eyed Odin with his huge, green eyes. “Hmm? What did I do wrong now?”

“Mup,” Loki answered, turning his gaze away. Frigga chuckled.

The toys eventually wound down to a crawl and Thor picked the duck up to look over the curious mechanism.

“Have you decided what you’re going to wear tonight, my dear?” Odin turned to Frigga.

“Yes, I think so.” She nodded. “Although, I can’t say that I’m looking forward to the first part of the evening.”

“Yes,” Odin nodded sadly, “same here. But it’s like I said earlier. They would have wanted us to move on and not linger on the sad moments. They died bravely and they didn’t die in vain.”

“Can I come to tha party?” asked Thor, bouncing up and down on his knees.

“Of course, you can,” Frigga replied. “It would be disrespectful if the whole Odin family wasn’t there. The celebration is for everyone. Although, you will have to leave early since I imagine the festivities will go on past your bedtime.”

“Awwww, Mommy…” Thor whined.

“When it gets to be a certain time, Lífdís will come and take you and Loki to bed.” Frigga paused and looked down at Loki, putting a hand to her mouth like she suddenly remembered something very important. Maybe she had. She forgot about the fact that she would have to take him out in public for the first time. How was she going to get away with carrying a baby around? People were bound to ask questions. She turned to Odin. “Odin…”

The All-Father turned his gaze to his wife. “Hm?”

She motioned to Loki with her head. Odin raised an eyebrow, not fully understanding what she was trying to say.

“Thor, why don’t you go and play?” said Frigga suddenly, smiling at the boy. “Go have adventures through the halls.”

“’Kay, Mommy,” Thor said, jumping off the bed and running to the door. He clutched the mechanical duck in one hand and his wooden sword in the other. Odin walked over to let him out.

“But don’t go too far,” Frigga called after him. “I want to know where you are. Lífdís still needs to give you a bath before tonight.”

“Ewww…” said Thor, wrinkling his nose.

“Don’t give me that.” Frigga waggled a finger at him. “You know you enjoy playing in the water.”

Odin shut the door behind Thor and turned to his wife again.

“What I was trying to say…” Frigga picked up Loki and held him for Odin to see. “How am I going to go to the funeral and feast tonight with Loki?”

“What do you mean? Just take him with us like you would do any baby.”

“How am I going to explain it?” Frigga placed Loki down on the bed. “Have you forgotten that he just appeared here overnight? If I walk out there with him, people are bound to start asking questions.”

“I’m fairly certain that the whole kingdom already knows about him by now. Might I remind you that the Asgard gossip chain was set in motion last night? There’s no telling what rumors have been started.”

“But what do I tell them?”

“Tell them the truth,” Odin said with a shrug, sitting down on the bed. “Tell them that he’s our child, of course. They don’t need to know any more than that.”

“Da!” said Loki, turning bright eyes to the All-Father. Odin smiled and stretched out a finger and playfully ran it down Loki’s nose. Loki blinked and smiled back. Suddenly, without any warning, Loki sneezed, blowing snot out both nostrils.

Odin cringed. “Why must you always do stuff like that when I’m around you? What do you have against me?”

Loki just smiled, kicking his feet. Frigga laughed and reached for a cloth to wipe Loki’s face with. As she wiped, she thought about what Odin said. She would do as he suggested, but she still felt a nervous stirring in the pit of her stomach. She just knew that all of the women of Asgard would look at her strangely and wonder and whisper silent accusations behind her back. She just hoped she could get away with it without this happening. Most of all, she hoped that none of them would think she had Loki by another man. That’s all they needed was for rumors like that to get started.

She sighed and picked Loki up. She wouldn’t say it aloud lest she put a damper on the festivities, but she was looking forward to the funeral and feast being over.

 

Loki didn’t understand what was going on, like a great many other things he had recently experienced in his short life. And it bothered him. Everything these people did was both complex and confusing. He tried to understand, but his underdeveloped mind had a hard time doing so. All he could do was watch and maybe learn. He didn’t know why these people couldn’t just live simple lives like he did. Life would be so much more enjoyable if they did.

At this moment, he sensed that the atmosphere around him was heavy with emotion, he also had the feeling that something important was happening. He twisted in Frigga’s hold and looked around at all of the people gathered at the shore. The blanket that covered him obstructed his view and that annoyed him. He peeked out from under it the best he could, taking part of it in a tiny hand and pulling on it. He wanted to see what was going on. If he was going to learn about things, he needed to see them. He emitted a soft whine of annoyance, which earned him a series of gentle pats on the back from Frigga. She leaned her head on him and shushed him and whispered comforting words in his ear before kissing his cheek. The actions made him curl up in her arms and nuzzle her.

When Frigga turned her attention back to the ceremony, Loki twisted around again hoping to get a better view. He heard crying. Pushing the blanket far enough off his head to see clearly, he looked over Frigga’s shoulder at the crowd behind them. They were all facing outward toward the water. He turned around to look in that direction. It was nighttime. The sky was clear and full of twinkling stars and a variety of colorful nebulas and moons. There were boats out on the water—pretty boats that carried something wrapped in cloth. There were hundreds of them, looking like a majestic fleet about to go to war.

“Uh!” said Loki happily with a smile, pointing a finger. His eyes sparkled with delight as he watched the reflection of the stars dance on the water. He looked around at the other people. Odin stood next to Frigga, Thor in his bulky arms. No one else looked happy. There were women wiping their eyes with handkerchiefs and children burying their faces in their mothers’ skirts, and men wrapping loving arms around the shoulders of their grieving wives.

Loki had never seen the bigger people cry before. He wasn’t sure what to make of it. Why was everyone crying? Were they crying over the boats? They didn’t look that sad to him. He usually cried when he was tired or hungry or unhappy or needed the other end of him cleaned. Maybe they were hungry or tired. They should have had—what did they call it?—the party first, assuming they served food at a party.

Loki studied them. Try as he might, he just couldn’t understand. Why wasn’t everyone happy? It was a beautiful night. At least, Loki thought so. He looked up at the stars and smiled. They were pretty.

“Mup!” he squeaked as if to tell everyone what a beautiful night it was. He felt a few more pats on his back. He snuggled his face next to Frigga’s neck, grasping the cloth of her dress in tight little fists, and looked toward the water again.

The boats started drifting away from the shore. Maybe that’s why everyone was crying. The boats got away. That was rather silly. They could get more boats, couldn’t they?

Suddenly, there was a loud whizzing sound and flaming arrows shot from some place and struck the boats. Each one erupted in flames, piercing the night’s darkness with an orange, amber glow that was both beautiful and sad. Soon the water was filled with flaming boats—hundreds of orange lights that made their way toward the edge.

The longer he looked at it, the longer Loki decided he didn’t like it. He whimpered and grabbed at Frigga’s braids, tugging on them. She held him tighter, leaning to plant another kiss on his cheek. Loki watched as the boat-shaped flames drifted farther and farther away. He looked up at Frigga and noticed tears streaming down her cheeks. He studied her face and lifted a hand up to place on her lips. Why was she so sad? Was it because the boats were on fire? Loki made the funniest face he could muster in hopes of making Frigga laugh again, but it didn’t work. In fact, she didn’t even see it. Her gaze was fixed on the boats ahead, the orange light of the flames reflecting in her tear-filled eyes.

Loki’s smile faded and he turned around to watch as the boats floated over the falls. A burst of glittery specks that looked like stars came out of each boat and floated upwards toward the sky, filling the air like hundreds of thousands of fireflies before disappearing. Loki’s eyes were transfixed on the sight until something else caught his attention. He looked to either side of him at the glowing balls of light that slowly drifted upward out of each person’s hands. He stretched out a hand toward them, opening and closing fingers in an effort to grab one. They were so pretty.

Everything about this new world was pretty.


	7. Celebration

After the funeral, everyone gathered in the dining hall where an enormous meal had been prepared in celebration of Odin winning the war. The place was packed full of people, and the air was filled with joyous conversation, laughter, music, and the smells of different meats and other luscious foods. Candles and torchlight cast a warm, inviting glow over the hall’s interior, making the golden accents and décor sparkle and gleam.

Frigga admitted that the funeral had been beautiful, despite the sadness of saying goodbye to loved ones and friends. There was an empty place in her heart for those who would not be joining them in the festivities. She still expected to see them seated around the table, or telling wild tales in the corners of the room while they drank mead and flirted with the maidens. Odin was right, though. Their lost friends and comrades would want her to move on and not dwell on the sadness. They had known the risks even before they went into battle. They chose to do what they did and gladly gave their lives for freedom.

As Frigga walked to her place at the table, she kept one hand on Thor’s head and held Loki in her other arm. She leaned over close to Thor’s ear.

“I want you to be on your best behavior,” she whispered.

“”Kay,” he replied.

“Sit here,” she said, moving a chair out so that Thor could crawl up into it. She seated herself in the chair next to him. On her right sat Odin, who was busy talking to some of the other warriors seated around him. The feast had already begun and was in full swing, trays of meats and platters of vegetables, fruits, and pastries being passed around with servants trying to keep up with them. There were also huge jugs of mead being poured out into large silver and gold goblets and mugs, some of the men already having drunk two or three mugs full and starting on another one.

Loki sat on Frigga’s lap and watched the events with wonder, not wanting to miss a moment. He didn’t understand what everything was about, just as he hadn’t understood what the funeral was about, but he stared anyway. There were men dressed in armor and women dressed in dainty gowns and rich dresses. Most of the men busied themselves with shoving food and drink into their mouths, while the women huddled in groups and chattered and laughed. One group of women wore armor and silver winged helmets and decorative headgear. They carried swords and large battle axes and bows and quivers of arrows on their backs. Loki noticed that they kept to themselves, staying as far away from the men as they possibly could.

Musicians stood in the background and played music loudly, which coincided with everyone’s talking and made the place unbelievably loud.

One male warrior near Loki chewed off huge chunks of meat and filled his mouth with mead before he even got through swallowing half of it, ending the whole debacle with a large belch. What didn’t make it into the guy’s mouth, loosely hung in his blond, braided beard. Loki furrowed his brow as he studied this monstrosity, eventually turning away in utter disgust.

Frigga picked up a spoon and handed it to Loki. He grasped it with both hands, glad to have a new distraction from the gluttony going on around him. He immediately put the utensil in his mouth and sucked on it. Then he took it out and looked at its polished surface. It was pretty, he thought, and shiny. Squeeing with excitement, he flapped his arms and waved the spoon around, nearly missing Frigga’s arm. She cupped her hand around his and forced it down, kissing his head. Loki clutched the spoon as if he were afraid she’d take it from him, but she didn’t.

When Frigga went back to eating, Loki commenced to flapping his arms again and playing with his spoon. He gummed it, fondled it, and banged it noisily on the table and the nearby plates, which resulted in Frigga closing her hand around his hand again and pulling it away from the table. He eyed her questioningly. Everyone else was making noise. Why couldn’t he? It’s not like anyone could actually hear it with the din that was already going on.

He soon found a new amusement of poking and prodding Thor with it.

“Ow! Stop,” Thor protested when Loki popped him on the head with it. His small voice was lost in the sea of noise, however. “Stop,” he mouthed, pushing Loki’s hand away. Smiling, Loki just looked at him, not knowing what the word ‘stop’ meant.

Giving his hand one good jerk, Loki was more than surprised when the spoon went flying out of his hand and across the table, landing with a splash in one of the warriors’ mugs. Mead went everywhere and drenched the plates of several people. Shocked played across Loki’s face for a second, then he started to giggle and laugh at the scene he helped cause. That was fun, he thought.

“I say… What goes on here?” said the man the mug belonged to. He reached and picked up the spoon, shaking it off. His eyes scanned the area before landing on the giggling baby across from him who was in the process of blowing spit bubbles. The man eased and a smile formed on his lips. He wiped the spoon off on a napkin and handed it back to Loki.

Several of the ladies snickered and laughed when they saw what happened. The spoon led to Loki finding himself at the center of attention as some of these women crowded around him and Frigga. They ran their fingers down his nose, played with his hands and feet, pinched and scrunched his cheeks, tickled his belly, and oohed and awed over him.

“He’s just the cutest thing!” one of them said.

“Such a little darling,” another one squeaked.

“Look at those chubby wittle cheeks!” said yet another one, scrunching both of his cheeks and jiggling them.

“His cheeks? Look at those beautiful green eyes.”

As much as Loki enjoyed the attention, he got annoyed with it fast, especially the cheek treatment. What was wrong with these people? He lifted his foot to push another hand away, which sent the women into fits.

“That was soooo cute!” several of them squealed at the same time. Loki eyed them cautiously, careful not to make any sudden movements that would send them into another fit of high-pitched squealing.

“Is he yours?” one of them asked Frigga.

Frigga nodded and smiled nervously. “Y-yes, he is.”

“He’s the cutest baby I’ve ever seen,” one of the women remarked. She made kissy faces at Loki and moved her fingers to tickle his belly again, only to have him kick her hand away with his foot.

“Thank you,” Frigga replied.

“He’s my brotha!” Thor piped up proudly, food still in his mouth.

“He is?” one of the women smiled. “I bet you enjoy being a big brother.”

Thor nodded. “Yeah! I get ta protet him.”

Frigga shot Thor a displeased look as she made a silent gesture for him to swallow his food before speaking.

“Sowwy, Momma,” Thor mumbled.

Loki was more than relieved when the group of women finally got tired of him and moved on to more interesting things, such as chatting and flirting with Odin’s warriors and the palace guards.

Several hours passed, pushing the activities way into the night. By now everyone had finished their meals and moved on to other interests, except for the latecomers that were just now sauntering in. There were games and contests to be played, and tales of the war were still flying around as every warrior took his turn at telling his side of the battle. Before it got too late, Frigga had already heard enough stories of blood, weapons, and gutted Frost Giants to last her the rest of her life. At least they had had the decency to save the really gory parts until after they ate.

Frigga’s stomach churned at the stories being told. Ordinarily, it wouldn’t have bothered her. After all, she had grown up in a culture where war and battles and warriors were as commonplace as horses. But that night, as she stood to the side listening to the warriors’ stories about another Frost Giant being ripped apart, she found herself hugging Loki closer to her. With each story told, the warriors laughed in triumph as if they had gone out and hunted down a deer. A shudder ran through Frigga’s body and she kissed Loki’s soft head.

While all of this was going on inside, some of the younger men, drunk from too much mead, were out in the gardens attempting to best each other in combat. They failed miserably, however, as they staggered around the clearing, running into the shrubbery and picking fights with the stone columns. One guy still held a mug in his hand, and another was trying to saddle a mule for whatever reason.

Frigga sighed and shook her head at the show before her. “You see that, Loki? A bunch of men acting like fools.”

“Mwap,” Loki answered, hand in mouth.

The room quieted down for a time until the new arrivals came, then the noise picked up again. Everything soon became overwhelming and stifling, causing Loki to squirm and emit whines of protest and tug at Frigga’s dress. He didn’t want to be there anymore. He was tired and bored and wanted to go somewhere that was quiet.

As if on cue, Lífdís entered the dining hall and walked up to Frigga. Smiling, the Queen of Asgard handed Loki over to her while she went to find Thor, who was busy asking little kid questions to some of the warriors.

 

“I am so glad to be out of there.” Frigga sighed as they walked into the nursery. She let go of Thor’s hand and collapsed into the nearest chair, throwing her shoes off. “I never thought these royal events could be so dull.”

“Better not let his majesty hear you say that,” Lífdís said with a chuckle. She walked over to the changing table and began to undress a fussing Loki.

Frigga waved her off. “Right now, I really don’t care if he does hear me.” She leaned her head back to look at the ceiling. “The food is always good and so is the conversation and company, but I can do without the rest, especially the drunken fools out in the garden. I still can’t believe that one destroyed one of my favorite rose bushes with that stupid mule.”

“They’re young warriors,” said Lífdís, smiling and glancing over her shoulder at Frigga. “They haven’t learned to hold their mead yet. Besides, you have to admit that they all deserve to unwind. The war has been hard on all of us.”

“Yes,” Frigga said, nodding in agreement. “You are right.”

“You know, that one boy with the blond hair and the scar on his lip is rather handsome,” Lífdís dreamily continued, not really paying much attention to her task. Her hands went through the motions and undressed Loki in a rehearsed fashion. “I’ve seen him once before…but, sadly, I don’t know his name.”

Frigga smiled understandingly and nodded like she had made up her mind about something.

“Lífdís,” Frigga said, getting up and walking to the nursemaid’s side, “why don’t you take the rest of the night off? Join the celebration and get yourself something to eat.”

The nursemaid’s eyes widened. “Are you serious, my lady?”

“Go on, enjoy yourself.” Frigga motioned toward the door with her head, smiling. “You deserve a break. The celebration is for all of us. Go. Put on your prettiest dress and fix your hair. I’ll take over here.”

“Thank you, your majesty.” Lífdís bowed quickly, already running her hands over her hair. “Thank you so much.”

“Lífdís,” Frigga called before the nursemaid could disappear out the door.

“Yes, ma’am?”

“Be sure to ask him his name.” Frigga’s smile widened and she winked. “Because I’m going to ask you what it is when you get back.”

Lífdís grinned. “I will.”

When Frigga was done changing Loki, she picked him up and placed him down on a blanket on the floor. She then set about dressing Thor for bed. It was easier said than done, though. Thor was wound up from the night’s excitement and full of energy. He went on and on about all of the wonderful things the warriors told him, and how one of them even let him touch a real sword! He repeated this event about ten times within a matter of a few minutes as if Frigga didn’t catch it the first couple of times. Frigga was tired so she numbly nodded in response as she struggled to remove the boy’s clothes and put his nightwear on. Twice she had to take the wooden sword out of his hand, but not after having to untangle it from the sleeve of his shirt.

“Thor, please hold still so I can get your trousers on,” she said wearily in between Thor saying something else about the sword he touched.

“Tha handull wuz shiny silver, Momma,” he continued, Frigga tugging his pants up not breaking his concentration for a second.

“That’s nice, Thor.” Frigga smiled. “Now, why don’t you go over to your bed, hm? I’ll be over in a few minutes to tuck you in. Then you can go to sleep and have good dreams about the shiny silver sword.”

Thor let out an excited holler and ran to his bed. “You gonna tell me a storee, Momma?”

“Yes.” Frigga nodded. “Get in bed.”

Thor turned and jumped into bed. Sighing, Frigga bent over to pick Loki up. She kissed him. 

“You want to hear a story too?” she whispered in Loki’s ear. Loki yawned and looked at Frigga. What was a story?

“What would you like to hear tonight?” she asked, approaching the side of Thor’s bed and seating herself there. She placed Loki down on the bed beside her.

“Swords!” Thor bounced excitedly.

Frigga grinned. “Okay, let’s see…” Thor and Loki both looked to Frigga expectantly as she took a few minutes to gather her thoughts. “Once there was an old warrior named Arkyn who had won many battles during his life. Thousands of enemies had fallen under the blade of his trusty sword Hedvig. One day…”

It was a half an hour later before Thor finally fell asleep—sent off into dreamland with happy thoughts from Frigga’s story. Loki was half falling asleep as well when Frigga walked into her bedroom and prepared to nurse him.

So that’s what a story was, he thought. He liked it. He wanted more!


	8. Loki Almost Flies Away

Frigga was awake bright and early the next morning. Despite a late night, she surprisingly fell asleep the moment she got in bed. The day’s events tired her out more than she realized. Like any gathering in Asgard, the celebration feast lasted long into the morning hours so the All-Mother wasn’t surprised when Odin never came to bed. More than likely he had stayed at the festivities to oversee everything and make sure no damage was done to anything valuable. They definitely didn’t need a repeat of what happened at their wedding. With it being such a special time, she figured the celebrations would last for several days straight, so that meant a few more nights without her husband. One thing was for sure, she wasn’t planning to show up at every one of them. She didn’t care what Odin said about it. She had had enough of the dull and drunken atmosphere and the war stories. Odin could have it all. She would have her meals brought to the bedroom and privately spend time with Loki and Thor.

What’s more, she wasn’t going to give people the opportunity to ask her about Loki. She was more than relieved that she had gotten through the first feast without any upsets or embarrassing moments. She thought for sure that someone would inquire about him and where he suddenly came from, but no one ever asked. They were too overcome with excitement to give it a second thought, she supposed. Good. Maybe she could get away with it without having to dance around lies and go into lengthy explanations. She still couldn’t shake the feeling that at least a few people silently thought something, though. More than likely that it was Odin’s doing. She thought she had seen a few people whisper to each other when the group of women was making such a fuss over Loki, or maybe it had been her overactive and paranoid imagination.

After breakfast, Frigga hummed a happy little tune as she bathed and dressed Loki. When she saw that he was comfortable, she placed him down on the bed. For it being his first night in their bedroom, she admitted that he had been fairly good. He only cried twice, when it was time for his feedings. Other than that she never heard a peep out of him. Apparently, the day’s events wore him out too.

Loki quietly watched with great interest as Frigga went about dressing herself and making the bed. He smiled and giggled when the All-Mother stopped long enough to play a quick game of peek-a-boo with him, which ended in an assault of tickling. The little giant rolled and kicked and squealed as Frigga continued to tickle his belly and kiss his face.

The All-Mother was a little concerned when Lífdís failed to bring Thor in to see her, as was their ritual every morning. It was already past breakfast and she hadn’t heard any sort of activity down the hall, other than the usual servants going about their daily schedule. She was about to ask one of these servants about it when Lífdís herself opened the bedroom door and poked her head in.

“Your majesty,” she said.

“Oh good, I was about to ask where you and Thor were. I was beginning to think something was wrong.”

“Um, ma’am…” Lífdís hesitated, nervously wringing her hand around the door handle.

“Lífdís, _is_ there something wrong?”

“I’m sorry, but Thor insisted that I take him back to the celebrations still going on in the dining hall,” said Lífdís, coming into the room. Frigga was speechless for a few seconds as she eyed the nursemaid. “He wanted to hear more stories and he also wanted to see Odin. I just felt like I needed to tell you.”

Frigga forced a smile and then nodded that she understood. “Very well; thank you, Lífdís. Could you keep an eye on him for me? The moment he gets tired, just bring him here to me.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I don’t wish to attend the festivities today.”

Lífdís nodded and turned to leave.

“Lífdís,” the All-Mother called. The nursemaid turned. “Did you have a good time last night?”

“Oh, yes, your majesty,” Lífdís replied, smiling wide. “I had the most wonderful time. The food was delicious and the music was lovely.”

“And…?” Frigga prodded, the corner of her mouth inching up in a smirk.

“His name is Isak,” said Lífdís, her eyes sparkling and her cheeks flushing the slightest hint of red. Her eyes moved down to stare at the floor. “He’s such a gentleman and very funny. We hit it off quite nicely, and he wants to see me again at the soonest possible time.”

Frigga’s lips turned into a full blown smile. “That’s wonderful, Lífdís. I’m really happy for you.”

“Thank you,” the nursemaid said, still smiling.

When Lífdís left, Frigga wasn’t sure what to do with herself. She kept thinking about Thor and how he had wanted to go to the dining hall instead of coming to see her. He wanted to see Odin, not her.

She quickly shrugged it off as just being excitement. Thor was wound up over the celebration and stories and the sword he talked so much about the night before. On top of it all, his father was home. It was only natural that he’d want to spend time with him. Thor was still a little kid. Once kids get excited about things, it’s hard for them to think about more than one subject. Everything that had happened within these few days was all so new to Thor.

“Mwah!” Loki happily burbled from the bed. The sound brought Frigga out of her trance and she smiled at the beaming face staring up at her. Loki kicked his feet against the bedspread and stretched his hand out to her.

“Looks like it’s just going to be you and me today, little one,” she said, reaching to pick Loki up. “What shall we do?”

“Mup!” said Loki as if answering. He casually pointed toward the balcony doors where the bright sunlight was streaming in over the marble floor.

The All-Mother gave an approving nod of her head. “Excellent idea,” she said as she walked over to the doors and opened them. Outside on the balcony, Frigga sat down in a nearby chair and made herself comfortable. She placed Loki on her lap and bounced him on her knee. Loki cooed and burbled with every bounce, his eyes wandering around to look at the surroundings. The balcony was wide and spacious. It had a tiled stone floor that was lined around the edge with a waist-high stone railing carved with various Asgardian designs. There were a table and some chairs in the center, along with a bronze brazier. Several large flower pots were nestled in corners and on both sides of the door. They were filled with a variety of beautiful flowers that filled the air with a delicious, sweet aroma.

Loki watched as bees, butterflies, and other winged insects darted here and there to each flower. Everything was very pretty, he thought. Although he wished that some of the flutterbyes would come over to him. He liked those things. In fact, he liked them so much that he wouldn’t mind being one of them. It must be fun to float through the air like that and land on all of those pretty flowers. Loki’s eyes fixated on one specific butterfly—a large purple and black one that floated near one of the pots by the door. His mouth formed a smile as he watched the butterfly’s movements.

Frigga would have shrieked, but the scream caught in her throat and failed to make its way past her lips. All she could do was stare in shock, her mouth hanging open, as Loki’s form melted and changed shape right in the middle of her lap. Instead of being the form of a baby, Loki emerged as a beautiful black and purple butterfly. He sat there on Frigga’s knee and calmly moved his wings up and down. The All-Mother’s eyebrows shot up and her eyes bulged. She studied the insect as if it was the first time she had ever seen one. She quickly looked around the area until her eyes landed on the butterfly of the same color by the door. She looked back at Loki.

“H-how…” she stammered, shaking her head to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. She figured that Loki was capable of shapeshifting by the way he assumed Asgardian form, but she would never have guessed he was that good, especially not at that age. She wondered if Loki was even aware of what he had done.

Frigga was jostled from her thoughts when Loki, in butterfly form, lifted himself into the air and began to flutter over to one of the flower pots. Stifling a yelp, the All-Mother quickly jumped from her chair and gently cupped her hands around Loki, mindful of how delicate her little son now was. Loki flapped his wings angrily as he fought to get out of his mother’s hands.

“Now, Loki, let’s not have any tantrums,” Frigga said, feeling somewhat silly. To anyone else that happened to come upon this moment, it would look like she was talking to a regular butterfly. She chuckled at the thought. But she was determined not to let Loki go. If he got mixed up with the other butterflies she would never be able to find him. Not to mention him flying off the balcony and to who knows where. That thought alone suddenly frightened her.

“Loki,” said Frigga, a little sterner than before, “Loki, stop. You’re going to hurt yourself.”

Her hands still cupped, Frigga pulled butterfly Loki in and held him close to her, allowing him to throw his tantrum in the form of violent wing flapping. He wanted to be free! He wanted to land on the pretty flowers! He wanted to have some fun! Why couldn’t Mommy understand that? Was it so wrong that he had turned into a flutterbye? Granted, the shape changing was a surprise to him too, but now that he was in this form he wanted to explore!

Suddenly, without warning, Loki popped back into his normal Asgardian baby form—the wing flapping tantrum changing to ear-piercing screams and crying. The suddenness of the whole thing caused Frigga to stumble back and sit down hard in her chair. She struggled to keep her hold on Loki due to the drastic change in his weight. Loki going from a weightless insect to normal baby weight almost made her come close to dropping him on the hard floor below. Shakily, she placed him on her lap again, wrapping her arms securely around him. Not paying attention to Loki’s unhappy cries, she leaned back to catch her breath. Right then, she made a mental note of this whole thing. She would have to keep a close watch on Loki from now on. That meant she would have to keep him around her at all times lest the nursemaid find out about it, as well as the other people in the palace. How would she even explain something like this? She shuddered at the thought of Loki changing into another butterfly or even a bird and flying straight out a window. Since Loki was still a baby, she guessed that he probably didn’t know how to control his shape-shifting, or how he even managed to do it in the first place. Images of Loki popping back into baby form in mid-air flashed through her mind.

Frigga didn’t want to think about it anymore. She pulled Loki into her arms and nuzzled him close.

“Shhhhh, it’s okay,” she cooed. “Everything’s all right. I’m sorry I stopped you, but I was afraid I was going to lose you.”

Loki wailed and kicked in response.

“You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?” She smiled and kissed Loki’s head. He screamed louder, pushing on her face. He didn’t want kisses. He wanted to change back into a flutterbye and land on the flowers! Why couldn’t she understand that? She wouldn’t lose him. He would come back to her.

Seeing that the tantrum wasn’t going to stop anytime soon, Frigga took Loki back inside, making sure she closed the balcony doors good. She hated to since Loki seemed to enjoy the outdoors so much, but she didn’t know what else to do. If he couldn’t see the butterflies then maybe he would forget about everything and stop crying.

“There, there, it’s okay. Don’t cry,” said Frigga, hugging Loki close to her and kissing his face. She did everything she knew to do, but Loki kept crying and squirming, his face becoming red

Much to the All-Mother’s surprise, Loki’s body started melting again as he changed shape.

“Loki, no,” she said, but it was too late. Loki had already turned into a butterfly again. This time, he managed to get out of her hold and fluttered upward towards the ceiling in a jerky and awkward fashion like he wasn’t used to flying just yet. He tilted haphazardly to the sides as he struggled to gain altitude.

Frigga watched in speechless horror from below. Motherly instincts finally kicked in and she quickly followed Loki wherever he flew, holding outstretched arms in an effort to catch her little baby if he decided to fall. For a time, Loki flapped and flew randomly around the room, exploring every nook and crack as he made a vain attempt to find some way outside. He found that all of the windows and doors and any other passage out of the room were closed up tight.

Loki threw another butterfly tantrum. He stopped in the center of the room and proceeded to flap his wings as hard as he could while shaking and shuddering.

Then it happened.

Frigga’s new fear came true sooner than she expected. While hovering in mid-air, Loki popped back into Asgardian form at the highest point of the ceiling and started falling downward…fast. Big mistake, he thought, although he still didn’t understand how he was doing all of this. Fear gripped him as he dropped like a rock and he started screaming. Frigga ran frantically around the floor, trying her best to line herself up with her falling son.

“Don’t worry, Loki, Mommy’s got you,” she called up, her voice beginning to crack. What if she missed?

Odin suddenly opened the bedroom door and walked in just in time to see Loki plummet through the air and land safely in Frigga’s opened arms. The All-Father blinked his one eye several times and looked at the mug of mead he held in his hand before glancing upward as if making sure no other babies were going to rain down. He stood and watched as Frigga smothered Loki in kisses and hugs and cooed comforting words to him.

“Frigga, my dear,” said Odin, lifting a hand to rub at his tired, bloodshot eye, “what were you doing?”

The All-Mother turned her gaze toward her husband. “Odin, we have a problem. It seems that our new son wants to be a butterfly.”

Odin’s brow furrowed as his foggy mind struggled to register what his wife had just said.


	9. He's a Frost Giant

~ Three Weeks Later ~

Frigga awoke to crying. It was more like gut-wrenching screams like some poor child was being torn apart by a savage beast. It took her a minute to come to her senses and realize that she wasn’t dreaming. In an instant, she was fully awake and at the cradle’s side, peering over at a very unhappy blue Loki who was struggling to cry out his discomfort, taking short, ragged breaths in-between the outbursts.

“You’ve reverted back again,” she breathed, concern washing over her face. Loki screamed harder at hearing her voice. “There, there, little one, what’s wrong?” She picked Loki up and checked him over. His diaper was clean, there were no pins sticking him, and he shouldn’t be hungry since it wasn’t even time for his next feeding. Frigga couldn’t understand why he was so adamant about making himself known, which actually wasn’t all that unusual. He was more and more becoming unusually fussy.

The problem with Loki’s newfound interest in shapeshifting ended up becoming the least of Frigga’s concerns over the past several weeks. She and Lífdís felt something was wrong with him a few days after the night of the funeral. He just didn’t act like himself anymore. He wasn’t as energetic and alert and took longer naps during the afternoon like he couldn’t get enough sleep. His skin looked paler than normal and felt unusually dry, as did his lips and mouth. Frigga applied oils and lotions to him thinking that it would help the skin problem, but no matter what she did his condition seemed to worsen as days passed. He cried constantly like something was bothering him, but she noted that his eyes showed no signs of actual tears. What really made Frigga worry is the fact that she didn’t have to change his diaper hardly at all, which wasn’t normal.

“Frigga, dear,” Odin’s sleepy voice came from behind her, followed by a rather large yawn.

“I know. I can’t understand what’s wrong with him,” she said in a worried tone. She felt like she was on the verge of having a breakdown, but she refused to let it show in front of Odin. “He’s been sick now for a couple of weeks, but I can’t figure out what’s ailing him.” Tears in her eyes, she looked down at the little blue baby in her arms. “You poor thing,” she said before kissing Loki’s head. She paused. More fear washed over her like a wave. She placed a hand on his forehead and felt around his face and chest. He felt warm. He had never felt warm when he was his Jotun form. “Odin,” she started, feeling panicky, “Odin, he feels warm. He’s never felt warm when he’s a Frost Giant.”

Odin motioned for her to bring him over to the bed, so she did. Odin placed a huge hand on the child’s face and felt for himself. For the first time, his brow scrunched up in worry and concern. He knew that Frost Giants always felt cold. In fact, he knew right away what was wrong with Loki, but he dreaded telling Frigga.

“He _is_ warm, alright,” Odin mused, hesitating. Loki continued to wail, pushing on Odin’s palm.

“I must take him to the healing room,” Frigga suddenly said, standing up. “I should have taken him there before now.”

“No, Frigga.” Odin quickly grabbed his wife’s arm. She looked back at her husband with searching eyes. “It’s too risky,” he whispered, slowly shaking his head.

“We can’t let him die. I don’t care if all of Asgard knows what he is; I won’t stand by and watch him die. He’s my baby!” Frigga’s voice wavered and tears started to stream down her cheeks.

“We aren’t going to let him die,” Odin said in a calm voice. “But let’s not be hasty. If you love him, don’t reveal him.”

Frigga continued to stare at her husband as if he were a stranger she’d never seen before. Her mouth worked nervously. “But…”

“Frigga,” Odin patted the bed for her to sit, “Come back to the bed. We’ll figure this out on our own.”

“But…the healing room…”

“If you take him to the healing room, they’ll see what he is. You will be putting his life in greater danger.”

Frigga eased herself down on the bed again, sighing wearily and fighting to hold back more tears.

Odin let out a sigh. “I know what’s wrong with him.”

“You do?”

The All-Father nodded. “I’ve been a stupid man, Frigga. I should have never brought a Frost Giant into Asgard. I was so obsessed with the possibility that this baby could bring peace that I never stopped to think of the child’s well-being or the responsibilities of caring for a giant.”

“What do you mean?” said Frigga, struggling to grasp what Odin was trying to tell her.

“You don’t take a snowflake into the sweltering desert and expect it to remain a snowflake. This child has been in our realm too long. He’s not used to being in Asgard and is dehydrated due to our warm climate. I’ll have to take him back.”

“No! You can’t!” said Frigga through her tears. “You said you found him abandoned. If you take him back, he’ll die.”

“He’ll die anyway if he stays here much longer. I can’t imagine why he’s still alive right now.”

“You just said that we wouldn’t let him die…”

“Frigga…”

“M-maybe there’s someway—something we can do.”

“If he was stronger and normal size then he could possibly survive and live in our realm, but he’s small and weak, Frigga. He’s a runt. He’s not strong enough to hold out and fight this. He doesn’t even understand what’s happening to him.”

Frigga’s watery eyes turned to look down at Loki. He was staring back at her in a way that told her he understood far more than Odin believed. His blood red eyes cried out for help, and she could not ignore it. She had to do something. She was a mother, and it was her duty to care for her children. She would not abandon Loki like his birth parents had done. This was nothing more than the Frost Giant equivalent of a fever or some childhood sickness. She had cared for Thor lots of times during bouts with illness. This wasn’t anything different. Her mind raced as fast as it could, and then it suddenly hit her. It was so obvious that she didn’t know why she hadn’t thought about it before.

“Water,” she said suddenly, clutching Odin’s arm. “He needs water.”

“Well, naturally, if he’s dehydrated,” Odin replied, not entirely understanding his wife. “But…”

“No, no, no, no, you don’t understand. It’s more than just normal dehydration. The first night that you brought him home is when I noticed that he had changed back into his Jotun form. There’s something else I didn’t tell you. It’s something even I didn’t think much about at the time. He was covered in frost. He seems to always do that at night when he sleeps. Baby giants must cover themselves in frost when they sleep to keep themselves cool.”

“Or he did it because of the change in climate,” Odin corrected. “Being in Jotunheim he wouldn’t have to cover himself in frost to keep cold.”

“That’s true. But being dehydrated means his body doesn’t have enough water to make frost to keep him cool. So he’s not only suffering from dehydration, he’s also suffering from his body not being able to maintain a cold enough temperature.”

“Urrr…” Loki managed to get out weakly as if to ensure that Frigga’s theories were correct.

“You could be right,” said Odin, scratching at his beard. “It’s a curious thing, though. I don’t recall him feeling cold when he’s in Asgardian form.”

“But he always changes back to Jotun at nights when he sleeps,” Frigga continued to muse, more to herself than to Odin. “At least, he does at this age anyway.” Her head swam at trying to straighten everything out.

“He’s still too weak and sickly to maintain the Asgardian form for a long period of time, no doubt. He’s got to rest it some time,” Odin added.

“Oh, we can figure out the workings of a Frost Giant later. Right now Loki needs our help. What are we going to do?”

Instead of saying anything else, Odin quickly got out of bed and walked to the door and leaned out into the hallway to get a servant’s attention. Frigga heard him request a bottle of water and closed the door.

“We’ll feed him some water and see if that helps,” he said as he waited. Frigga nodded. “Once he has water, maybe his body can return to being cold again and make frost.”

It didn’t take the servant long to return with a bottle of cold water, of which Odin took and gave to Frigga. Loki eagerly consumed the water at a rate that almost made him choke and puke it back up.

“Gently, my love,” said Frigga in a soft voice, wiping the excess water off Loki’s chin after he coughed it up. Not really caring, Loki made grabby hands for the bottle and whined. He needed what was in that bottle. He felt hot and he didn’t like hot. He needed to be cool.

When the bottle had been drained of its contents, Loki sighed contentedly. He still felt bad, but at least he felt better than he did before. Smiling, Frigga put him in a position to nurse him.

After the feeding, she placed him back in his crib.

“There you go, my angel,” she whispered, careful not to wake Odin who had already gone back to sleep. She glanced over her shoulder and then peered down at Loki again. She stood and thought a moment before making her mind up about something. “Since I’m unable to take you to the healing room, I’m going to try my best to make you as comfortable as possible until you heal naturally.”

“Urr…” Loki sleepily replied.

“You mean more to me than anything else in the universe,” Frigga continued, running her fingers over Loki’s soft head. “I’m not going to let you die. That’s a promise.”

Frigga pulled the sleeves of her nightgown up to her elbows and began to move her hands quickly in complex signs, murmuring ancient words under her breath. They were words that wouldn’t have made much sense to anyone else unless they happened to be an expert in the art of Asgardian magic and incantations. The simple spell she cast created frosty blue sparkles that floated and filled the air over the crib, eventually joining together to form a barrier. When it was finished, it engulfed and caressed Loki in a clear freezer bubble. Loki cooed at feeling the cold air on his skin. He looked up at Frigga and smiled. She returned the smile, making the bubble float upward and toward her arms. She embraced it in a hug and made it float down to rest inside the crib again.

Loki reached out and touched the inside of the bubble, slapping it with his palm and poking at it curiously. He wasn’t sure what this thing was, but it made him cold. He liked that. He was feeling better already.

“You’ll remain in there until you feel better, little one,” she said before turning to go back to her own bed.

 

The next time Frigga woke up that night was for Loki’s next feeding. She was still half asleep and disoriented when she heard his hungry cries, and everything about the situation instantly scared her. Her first thoughts being that something was terribly wrong with him again. When she finally got her bearings and lit the candle on the night table, she was relieved to hear that his cries sounded normal this time; unlike the first time she was jolted awake. This alone comforted her and gave her some hope.

She whispered a word and removed the bubble from Loki long enough to nurse him. As he lay in her arms and fed, she took the opportunity to check him over. His skin felt colder, this time, every inch of him covered in frost from the bubble, but he still held his giant form. It was normal for him to keep that form at nights, so she didn’t think much of it. Even in the dim light of the single candle, she noted that he looked brighter and happier than he had several hours earlier, which, to her, was a good sign. He ate his fill of milk and she gave him a little extra to try and keep as many fluids in him as possible.

Loki smiled up at Frigga as she quietly went about changing his diaper, which, for once, she was glad to be doing. His shiny red eyes searched the walls and ceiling for something unknown before coming back to rest on the woman beside him.

Frigga glanced at Loki’s face, her eyes meeting those red ones. Something about them still sent a slight chill through the inside of her. She shook it off. Loki was harmless, she kept reassuring herself.

After applying a clean diaper to Loki, the All-Mother put him in the crib again and waved her hand to replace the bubble around him.

Everything was going to be all right, she just knew it.


	10. Recovering

In the days following Loki’s illness, Frigga never left his side.

She had all of her meals brought to the bedroom and she refused to leave except for short trips to the garden and the palace library. She passed the long hours of each day reading and spending time with Loki and nursing him back to health in every way she knew how. She frequently fed him as much as she could to keep liquids in him. She played with him and told him stories while they sat out on the balcony. She gave orders for Lífdís to keep Thor away until Loki was well enough to have visitors. In other words, she didn’t want to answer the questions Thor might ask concerning what was wrong with Loki and why he had suddenly turned blue.

For most of the time, Frigga kept Loki confined to the enchanted freezer bubble until she was sure that his body could maintain a cooler temperature on its own again, both inside and out. Loki found this sensation a bit strange at first, but he eventually got used to it. His movements caused the bubble to roll around and float, making him feel as light as a feather. That was fun! He enjoyed it when the bubble bounced off the wall and floated across the room and made him slide around and around inside as it tumbled over. He spent many hours doing this each afternoon while Frigga sat nearby and read. When she wasn’t reading, Frigga would join in and make the bubble move with her magic.

After three or four days, Loki acted like he was feeling better, but he still remained in his Frost Giant form even during the day, which puzzled Frigga. She partly figured that he still wasn’t strong enough to hold any other form, and she partly assumed that it was also due to the fact that he was confined within the bubble. Apparently, he felt like he could remain in that form as long as the air around him was chilled like Jotunheim. Regardless of the cause, this posed yet another problem for the All-Mother. Every time one of the servants came to the room, she had to quickly cast an illusion spell to make Loki look Asgardian so no one would see his true form. It was awkward the first couple of times since she hadn’t used that sort of illusion spell for some time. She felt like she was a bit out of practice. Once, out of nervousness and being forced to do it quickly, she accidentally turned him into a rabbit. Only when she had her hand on the door handle did she realize her mistake and had to quickly rectify it before allowing the chambermaid inside. But she soon fell into the habit and got better at the task. By the time the fifth day arrived, she could change Loki’s appearance at the snap of her fingers, whenever she heard a knock at the door.

Loki giggled, kicked, and started his bubble rolling across the balcony floor until coming to a stop against Frigga’s knee. Loki let out another giggle, followed by a squeal, his legs kicking outward and pin-wheeling in excitement at the feel.

“Hm?” Frigga said, turning a page of her book. She looked down at the little blue giant inside the bubble and grinned. Gently, she gave the bubble a push with a finger and sent it gracefully floating in the opposite direction until it hit the side railing and floated back the way it had come.

“Urrrr…urrrrr…urrrr…” Loki cooed as he rolled around inside the bubble. Frigga kept a close watch to make sure he didn’t float outside of the balcony. Finally, she grabbed onto the bubble and put it down beside her.

“I think that’s enough floating for now,” she said. “How about a story?”

“Aiie!” Loki squealed, inserting his fingers into his mouth to suck on them.

“Let’s see…” Frigga looked over the pages of her book and thought a moment. Finding her place, she started to read aloud, “… _Snøfrid checked her sword to make sure it was secured to her back and then reached out to feel for niches in the tall stone wall before her. When she found some that she was sure would hold her weight, she began climbing to the top and perched herself there. She looked out over the sleeping village below her, the spires of distant buildings shimmering like the blades of daggers in the moon’s silvery light. She quietly wondered to herself if her father was waiting for her out there, or if he was beyond the village, somewhere out in the wooded foothills where there lurked the great and terrible Jaggermite. Truly she had a long adventure ahead of her that_ —”

“Urp…” Loki burbled.

“I have no idea what a Jaggermite is. We’ll have to keep reading and find out.” Frigga smiled.

“Mup,” Loki replied. That sounded like a good idea to him. He liked stories. He didn’t fully understand everything in them, but they sounded nice. He wondered what it would be like to go on this thing called an adventure. Would he ever go on one someday? He hoped so. It sounded like a fun and exciting thing to do. Although, he hoped he never ran across any Jaggermites. That didn’t sound like it would be pleasant. In fact, it sounded scary. It sounded like monsters, and any type of monster was scary to him, especially the oddly shaped black ones he’d seen many times on the walls and ceiling of the room at nights when there was only candlelight present. He didn’t like those. They never really moved, unless the candle moved, and they never came near his crib, but he still didn’t like them. They were evil, he just knew they were.

“Mepoo,” Loki mumbled, looking at his hands before turning red eyes up to look at Frigga. She stopped reading again and looked down at him. It was then that Loki realized he missed hearing what happened next in the story. He had been too busy thinking about monsters.

“Ah!” he said with a pout.

“Hm? You want me to stop?” Frigga asked.

No! He didn’t want her to stop. He wanted her to repeat what she just read and then continue.

“Ahh, uh!” he squealed. Why couldn’t she understand?

“Okay, I’ll stop,” said Frigga, setting the book down. Loki’s eyes followed her movements and stared at the book resting beside his bubble. He reached out to touch it, but his fingers met the inside of the bubble instead. He scowled up at Frigga.

“What’s wrong?” She giggled at seeing the face he made. “I thought you wanted me to stop. Do you want me to continue?”

“Uh!” said Loki, kicking his legs.

“Alright,” Frigga said, picking the book up and continuing. “ _After the brief meeting with the hooded stranger, Snøfrid stopped at the Gusty Tavern and Lodge. She opened the door and walked inside. Even though it was late at night, some of the chairs were full of half-asleep tourists and townspeople that had had one too many drinks. The place was cozy and inviting, lit only by the dim orange light of lanterns and a small fireplace across the room. The air was full of the smells of ale and stale cabbage, which made the girl wrinkle her nose in disgust.  
“Snøfrid quickly looked around her at each person in turn, as if expecting to see someone familiar, before walking over and plopping herself down at the nearest vacant table, the sword strapped to her back clanking against the chair’s back._”

Frigga paused and slowly closed the book, her finger marking her place. Loki looked up at her, wondering what was wrong. The All-Mother had a dreamy, far-away look in her eyes as she stared out past the balcony’s railing. She sighed.

“Wouldn’t it be amazing to go on an adventure like we read about in books?” she said wistfully.

“Mup!” Loki agreed. Now, if only she would continue reading.

“There have been many times where I’ve dreamed about going on one. I’ve often wondered what it would be like to go beyond this realm—to see the other eight realms for myself, especially the one called Midgard.” Frigga sighed again. “I’ve heard so much about that place. It would be nice to see it at least once, but Odin would never approve of it.” She turned to Loki. “Perhaps someday, hm?”

What was Midgard? Now, Loki was curious. He must know. He kicked his feet against the bubble’s side, hoping Frigga would get the hint and tell him more or continue reading.

She continued to smile down at him then reached to pick the bubble up. “I think it’s time for you to take a nap, young man.”

No, no, no! No nap! He didn’t want to sleep. He wanted to hear more of the story and Snøfrid. He wanted to hear more about Midgard!

“Ahhhhh!” Loki wailed as Frigga carried him inside.

“Come on now, it’s not that bad.” Frigga put Loki down on the bed and removed the bubble. She lightly tapped him on the nose. “Besides, I have something for you.”

Loki stopped his crying for a few seconds before continuing in whimpers. Mommy had something for him? What was it?—another stuffed animal?—wooden blocks?

Frigga walked out of the dressing room while carrying something flat and limp in her hand. She held it up for him to see. “Ta-da! I made it myself the past couple of nights while you were asleep. I thought it might cheer you up since you’ve been ill.”

Loki looked from Frigga to the object in her hand and then back again before cracking a smile, not fully understanding what it was. It looked similar to the book she had just been reading out of. Frigga put the gift in Loki’s hands and closed his fingers around it. He grasped it tightly, looking at it to see what exactly it was.

“Agee!” he gurgled happily. It was a small, square leather-bound book with cloth pages full of colorful hand-painted pictures of animals and nature scenes. There were rabbits, squirrels, birds, winged horses, dragons, bears, bilgesnipes, foxes, goats, and a variety of other creatures. There were even butterflies—lots and lots of butterflies in every color. At the bottom of each page was the name of the animal painted in bold, black letters.

“It’s a picture book,” she explained. “Your very first book, my love.” Frigga helped Loki turn the pages, saying aloud what each animal was as they went.

Loki’s eyes sparkled at the pretty pictures, reaching out a hand to squeeze the pages. This was for him? His very first book? Really? And it had been made just for him by Mommy. Loki snatched the book out of Frigga’s hand and pulled it against him, sticking one corner in his mouth.

“You’re welcome.” Frigga chuckled. She picked him up and cradled him close to her chest and began to hum a soothing lullaby. It didn’t take Loki long to drift off into slumber, the picture book nestled securely in his arms.

 

The next day, Frigga decided to allow Loki out of his bubble. She would keep an eye on him and if he showed signs of feeling ill again, she would replace the bubble. She worried that Loki wasn’t strong enough to stay out of it since he still hadn’t changed back into his Asgardian form. Maybe keeping him out of the cold enclosure was what he needed.

After feeding and changing Loki, she placed him on a blanket on the floor in front of the balcony doors while she busied herself with getting dressed for the day. Loki contentedly lay there and watched her, occasionally turning to look out the glass doors on his left.

Frigga quickly turned to look at her little son when she heard a sudden loud squeal. Loki was looking at something that had caught his attention on the balcony. Turning her eyes to look that way, Frigga saw a bird perched on the table directly across from the doors. Something inside her tensed.

Loki clapped his hands, giggled, and reached out in hopes of touching the bird. He remembered seeing something like that creature in the pretty glowing pictures Mommy made for him on the first night he arrived. They also decorated the pages of the picture book she gave him. He squealed again and flapped his arms.

Frigga tensed, even more, when Loki went still, staring at the bird. That’s the way he had acted when he changed into a butterfly. Her eyes widened.

“Oh, no you don’t,” she said, walking over and stooping to pick up Loki. Loki protested, twisting around in her hold to see if the bird was still there.

Before Frigga could walk three feet from the spot she stood, she looked down and noticed that she was no longer holding a blue baby. Instead, she was holding a blue bird. Her first instinct was to yelp, but she kept herself under control as she watched bird Loki hop up her arm and perch on her shoulder. Spreading his wings, Loki bounded into the air, only to spiral downward and crash into the floor.

“Loki, are you okay?” Frigga shouted, rushing over to her baby’s side and scooping him up in her hands. Bird Loki squawked and flapped his wings in annoyance and clawed at Frigga’s palms, blue feathers flying everywhere. Frigga thought Loki’s tantrum in butterfly form was bad, but his tantrum in bird form was even worse. His squawking got louder and shriller and his wing flapping became out-of-control as he struggled to launch himself into the air again. “Loki, you’re too young. You don’t know how to fly. You don’t even know how to control your shapeshifting.”

What did she mean by that? He was doing just fine! If only she would let him go. Not realizing what he was doing, he pecked at Frigga’s fingers. She let out a slight cry of pain, but she kept her hold on him.

Loki stopped struggling and looked at his mother with beady bird eyes the moment he heard her cry. What had he done? He hadn’t meant to hurt her.

Loki’s form popped back into a baby—an Asgardian baby. He made burbling noises and stretched out his hands toward Frigga’s face. I didn’t mean it, he thought. I’m sorry. Are you okay?

“Mah?” he said, his eyes searching hers.

Frigga sighed with relief at seeing his Asgardian form. At least now she knew that he was back to normal, or heading in that direction anyway. She gave him a weary smile and kissed his face.

“Everything’s okay,” she said.

That was good, Loki thought. He didn’t want to hurt her. He didn’t want to hurt anyone. He would have to be careful from now on.

“Moop,” he blurted, poking Frigga’s nose gently with a finger.

The All-Mother laughed and gave him another kiss. “I love you, too.”

Loki grabbed onto Frigga’s dress and snuggled himself close to her and under her chin.


	11. The Helmet and The Hammer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Author’s Note:** I apologize that it’s taken me so long to get some new chapters out for this fic. Life has been busy and crazy in a lot of ways over the past several months. I also took a break to work on a few other fics that were demanding that I write them at the time, too. When it comes to this fic, I’ve been working on new chapters off and on in-between others and as time allows. Thought it was time I started uploading some before this year comes to a close. And before all of my followers start thinking that I've forgotten about it.

~ Eight Asgardian Months Later ~

Thor stopped Loki just as he was about to grab hold of the exposed blade end of a sword that was part of an armor display. Loki giggled as if the whole incident had been harmless fun, turned, and shakily toddled off in the opposite direction, not really having any specific destination in mind. He stopped in the middle of the room, wobbling precariously on short legs until his left leg finally buckled under and caused him to fall forward on hands and knees. He struggled a few minutes as he picked himself up and stood again. His thin black hair stuck up in every direction as if it had been hit by the wrath of Njord. For no apparent reason whatsoever, he suddenly opened his mouth and squealed loudly, listening to it echo off the tall ceiling and walls. Thor winced and sighed for probably the hundredth time that day, his eardrums throbbing. He loved his little brother, but there were times when he hated being the babysitter. Ever since Loki had learned what feet and legs were used for, he was everywhere…and into everything. It was like someone had stuck a key in him and wound him up, like the little metal wind-up toys the dwarfs make. Thor couldn’t take his eyes off him for a second.

Loki looked around him at all of the armor and weapon displays. Everything looked highly interesting and shiny and…well…fun! He especially liked one particular helmet straight in front of him. It was shiny gold and oddly shaped and had two very long, slender horns that curved backward. There was no other helmet like it in the armory room…and it was his. Letting out another high-pitched squeal, Loki ran to the pedestal where the helmet rested as if drawn to it by magnetic force. He stood on tip-toe and reached a chubby hand up toward it. He had to reach the shiny—had to. But try as he might, he couldn’t. He started emitting faint, annoyed fusses and strained himself to reach, coming close to toppling the whole display.

“No, Loki,” said Thor, walking over to where his brother stood. Determined that Thor was not going to lay a hand on him, Loki quickly turned around with plans to run away again, only to bump into his older brother. He grabbed onto Thor’s clothes just as his legs went out from under him and the whole lower part of his body slid to the floor.

“Loki!” Thor shouted, grabbing for his pants, which Loki just about ripped off him in his sliding tumble downward. Thor pried Loki’s tight fists away, picked him up and struggled to set him back on his feet again, before grabbing at his pants and tugging them up. Being only three-years-old himself, Thor found looking after his brother difficult and challenging at times, especially when it involved having to pick him up and grab hold of him to keep him from going into places he shouldn’t be. Despite the fact that Loki was still a baby, he was strong-willed and squirmy. If he wanted to go someplace, he was going there…or else. Thor already had his share of cuts and bruises, battle scars put there from tiny flailing arms and feet.

“Don’t do that, Loki,” Thor scolded, adjusting his trousers. Loki turned an innocent face up at Thor and smiled, his nose running. He giggled and turned toward the pedestal again, but Thor grabbed onto his arm and half pulled, half carried, and half dragged him in the direction he wanted him to go. “This way, Loki. We not even ‘sposed to be here.”

“Unnnngh…” Loki fussed, dragging and kicking his feet. Thor could sense that Loki was on the verge of a very loud and ugly tantrum.

“There you are,” said Frigga, approaching her two boys. Thor looked in her direction, fear momentarily gripping him. He knew he would be blamed for both of them being in the forbidden room. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you. How many times have I told you not to come in this room? It’s much too dangerous with all of these exposed weapons.”

“I sowwy, Mommy. I didn’ mean to. Brotha ran off. I couldn’ catch him,” Thor replied innocently, trying his best to hold onto Loki, who continued to squirm and emit whines of protest and was about to slide completely out of his shirt. He kept looking over at the helmet. He didn’t understand why he couldn’t have it.

Frigga took one look at Loki and shook her head and sighed.

“Well, don’t choke him.” She reached and picked Loki out of Thor’s headlock. “What am I going to do with you?” she asked, planting a kiss on his cheek. Loki whined pitifully as he struggled against Frigga’s hold.

“He wants tha helmet,” said Thor.

“What?” Frigga looked down at her son.

Thor pointed a small finger toward the pedestal and helmet. “He wants that.”

Frigga looked over at the helmet, her face turning solemn the moment her eyes landed on it. She stared at the hollow, black space where the face would go; feeling like the helmet had suddenly developed a life of its own and was staring back at her with unseen eyes. A chill, that she couldn’t explain, swept over her. The ray of sunlight streaming in from a nearby window shimmered off its shiny polished surface, giving it an even greater feeling that it was watching and listening to the inhabitants of the room. Frigga continued to stare at it a few more minutes as if the sight of the thing alone bewitched her. Finally, a smile creased her lips. She blinked her eyes as she pulled herself out of the trance.

“That’s a trickster’s helmet,” she explained softly. “No one in Asgard has ever worn it. It was created by the dwarfs a long, long time ago for some purpose your father couldn’t understand, or so he said. It’s been setting here, gathering dust ever since.”

Thor wrinkled his nose. “It looks lika cow.”

Frigga chuckled. “It does, doesn’t it?—or perhaps an ibex.”

“A wha?” Thor looked up curiously.

“An ibex,” Frigga said, smiling. “It’s a type of wild goat. They have horns that curve like that.”

“Ahhhhhhhhh! Uhnnnnnnnn…” Loki whined loudly, stretching a hand toward the helmet and opening and closing his fingers as if he could grasp it from that distance. Frigga walked closer and bent over, allowing Loki to touch the helmet’s horns. He tried to pick it up, but it was much too heavy. It disappointed him and caused him to whine more.

“You can’t lift it, sweetie,” Frigga said with a chuckle. “It weighs more than you do.”

Loki glowered, bending over again and grasping one of the horns in his tiny palm. It was his helmet! He was going to lift it or else! But try as he might, the helmet did not budge.

Loki started to cry loudly.

“Awww, it’s okay, my love,” said Frigga, pulling Loki closer to her and kissing his wet face. “You can lift it when you’re older.”

Loki beat his hands against Frigga’s shoulder and shook his head from side to side, the tears continuing to fall from his eyes as he emitted yet another loud wail. No! He wanted to lift it _now_! He rubbed his eyes with his fists and pooched his bottom lip out.

Frigga patted his back. “Shhhhh, that’s enough now, little one.” She kissed his cheek again. Slowly, Loki’s fit subsided into a series of whimpers, hiccups, and fake tears. He put one of his thumbs in his mouth and leaned his head against Frigga’s shoulder, sniffling.

“Whas that thing, Mommy?” asked Thor, pointing up at something on the pedestal near him. Frigga followed his gaze to a large hammer.

“Oh, just a hammer, dear,” Frigga answered. “It’s called Mjolnir.”

“Muleear?”

“No, no,” Frigga said, laughing, “Mjolnir.”

“Muleear,” Thor repeated.

Frigga laughed again. “If I remember correctly, no one can lift it unless they’re worthy.”

“Can I touch it?”

“Now, Thor, you know you aren’t allowed to touch anything in this room.”

“But you let Loki touch tha helmet…”

Frigga sighed and smiled. “You’re right; I did.”

She walked over, temporarily placed Loki down on the floor, and lifted Thor up to get a better view of the hammer. He smiled from ear to ear when his blue eyes landed on the strange article. He couldn’t explain why, but something inside of him was drawn to it. He stretched out a hand and grasped the handle, trailing his index finger down the designs cut in it. A vibration, like a faint tingling, came from the hammer and coursed through his hand and into his very soul. He wasn’t sure what it had been, but it almost seemed like…the hammer spoke to him in some way, like it was a living being with a soul all of its own. It was as if it had introduced itself to him and they had bonded on some level. But that was silly, wasn’t it?

“It spoke ta me!” said Thor excitedly, looking up to Frigga. “I don’ know what it said, but I know it spoke ta me.”

A nervous smile appeared on Frigga’s lips. “That’s nice.”

“It’s pretty,” Thor remarked. “Sometay I gonna use it.”

“We’ll see,” said Frigga. “First, you’ll have to prove you’re worthy of it.”

“I am!” Thor beamed. Frigga chuckled.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!” the tearful wail came to their ears. Frigga looked down to see Loki clinging tightly to the skirts of her dress. She smiled and lowered Thor to the floor. She reached and picked Loki up again, her youngest wrapping his arms around her neck. Feeling that it was time to leave, she turned and led Thor by the hand out into the hallway, closing the door to the armory behind her.

“I can’t imagine how you two got in here,” she said. “The door is supposed to be closed at all times.”

“It wuz cracked open,” said Thor. “Tha’s how brotha got in.”

“Still, doesn’t explain why it was like that,” she murmured. Frigga put Loki down on the floor, adjusting his shirt and pulling his pants up. She smiled as she smoothed down the unruly, static infested cowlicks that caused his hair to stick up in spikes. Loki restlessly moved around in her hold, thumb in mouth. He whined, reaching up at her with his free hand in hopes she would pick him up again and hold him. He stomped his feet and cried when she refused.

“Thor, I want you to look after your brother a little while longer. Your father—”

“Awwww, do I have ta?” Thor whined. “I can’ keep up wif him.”

“Your father,” Frigga continued, a bit miffed at being interrupted, “and I have an important meeting in a few minutes.” She bent over to kiss Loki’s head, wiping at his runny nose with her sleeve. “You need to take your brother away from this area and keep him out of trouble. And that goes for _you_ as well.”

“Mommyyyy…” Thor faked a few tears of annoyance. “He’s so wiggly.”

“Thor, he’s your responsibility until I get back. I expect you to keep up with him,” Frigga said, pointing a finger at her oldest son. “If you have any trouble, you know where to find Lífdís.”

“But…I have trowble wif him all tha time!” Thor spread his arms out, not understanding why his mother couldn’t understand.

“Not another word. Now, both of you go play.” She smiled, prying Loki’s grabby hand away from her skirt and hooking it onto Thor’s shirt. Naturally, Loki’s legs gave out from under him and he sat down on the floor hard, pulling Thor’s shirt with him. By now, Thor was convinced that Loki was hard bent on ripping his clothes off.

“Hey!” Thor shouted annoyingly, grabbing for Loki’s hand and trying desperately to make him let go of his clothing before he ended up becoming strangled. The shirt’s collar was closing tightly around his neck.

Loki, on the other hand, had no clue what he was doing. His tear-filled eyes were fixated on his mother until she rounded a corner at the end of the hall and disappeared. He whined and stuck his wet thumb in his mouth again, curling his fingers around his nose. He failed to understand why he couldn’t go with Mommy. Didn’t she want him?

“C’mer, brotha,” Thor grunted as he half lifted and half pulled Loki to standing, finally untangling his brother’s hand from his shirt. Loki staggered down the hallway as fast as he could go, which wasn’t very fast, much to his annoyance.

“Dah!” he said, pointing at a tapestry hanging on the wall on his right. Immediately, he shakily ambled over to it, snatching one of the tassels in his hand. He began to pull on it.

“No!” Thor ran over to him, taking the tassel out of Loki’s palm. “No, Loki, you can’ have that.”

Loki threw a fit. He screamed loudly, stomped his feet, staggered, and sat down hard on the floor again…and continued to scream. It wasn’t fair! Now that he could walk like everyone else, he wasn’t allowed to do _anything_. He wanted Mommy! She always let him do stuff. But…Mommy was gone. Why had she left him?? Loki let out an even louder wail.

Thor rolled his eyes and sighed. He pulled Loki to standing, grabbed his hand, and pulled him along with him as he made his way down the hall. It was a battle to keep Loki away from things as they walked. Everything around them caught Loki’s attention and he had to go investigate it one way or another. Or attempt to anyway. Thor kept a firm grip on Loki’s shirt and fought to keep him anchored in the middle of the hallway, digging his heels in the floor and pulling in the opposite direction every time Loki veered to the left or right. The palace had way too much junk setting around its halls, Thor suddenly came to realize. Up until now, he thought a lot of it was awesome and even had fun investigating it himself upon occasion. Now that Loki had come into his life, his perspective of the items had changed drastically. He wished they could be thrown out so Loki wouldn’t be tempted to do something they’d both get in trouble for. It didn’t matter what it was, all of it was seen as pretty playthings in Loki’s curious eyes.


	12. Running of the Chickens

Loki got loose of Thor’s hold again and disappeared. Thor was afraid that he had lost his little brother for good in the labyrinth of corridors, but he finally found him after thirty minutes of endless wandering. He caught sight of the little black-haired prince making his way to the palace kitchen, where the cooks and servants were busy preparing dinner. More than likely it was the meal Odin planned to serve to his guests later that evening, whoever they might be. Delicious aromas wafted through the hall and made Thor’s mouth water. No wonder Loki was making his way toward this area of the palace. He probably followed the scent. Oftentimes Thor enjoyed going into the kitchen to watch meals being prepared. Most of the cooks and maids didn’t like it, saying that the kitchen was no place for a young child. However, since Thor was the prince, they tolerated it. One cook named Bjorn had no problem with Thor being there and had grown quite fond of the boy, sneaking him tasty treats when the others weren’t looking.

But it wasn’t the smell that drew Loki to this part, as Thor quickly discovered.

“Meep!” Loki squeaked, pointing a finger toward a large crate on the other side of the hallway, near the entrance to the kitchen. It was filled with live chickens that clucked and poked their heads through the crate bars, pecking at any stray crumbs lying on the floor around them. Loki ambled over to it and clapped his hands excitedly. He immediately recognized them from the picture book Frigga made for him. How exciting! He’d never seen one close up before. They were such funny looking creatures, he thought. He giggled as he watched the chickens’ heads continue to poke in and out and look at him with beady black eyes.

“Chickuns,” Thor explained, walking up beside his brother. Loki squealed in glee again as he placed his hands through the crate bars to feel of the birds. “Careful, they peck.” Thor remembered his first encounter with chickens quite vividly and didn’t want Loki to have to go through the same experience. He reached and pulled Loki’s hands out of the crate. “They will hurt you. Don’ do that.”

Loki jerked his hand out of Thor’s and backed away, regarding Thor with eyes that were filling up with fresh tears. What was wrong with his brother? Everything he did or tried to do was wrong. All he wanted to do was feel of these things. Why was that so wrong? Loki slowly walked up to the cage again, attempting to put his hand through the bars. He stopped and looked up at Thor.

“No,” Thor said, shaking his head. “You can look, but don’ touch. They bite.”

Loki hesitated, staring at Thor. Was his brother trying to keep him from having fun? Finally, he turned and stuck his hand through the cage again and felt of the soft feathers of the bird nearest him.

“Loki, I said don’.” Thor grabbed Loki and pulled him away. Loki screamed and kicked and tried pushing his way out of Thor’s arms. His brother lost his grip in the struggle and Loki plopped down on his rear on the floor. He let out a long wail of irritation and pushed on Thor’s legs, partly grabbing onto Thor’s trousers to help pull himself up to standing.

“I wish you stop doin’ that,” Thor said irritably, grabbing for his britches.

“Hey, Thor! Hey, Loki!” said Bjorn, catching sight of the two boys.

“Hai, ‘Jorn!” Thor waved. Loki, on the other hand, didn’t acknowledge the greeting and continued to throw a fit.

“Why is he so unhappy?” Bjorn asked.

“He wants ta pet tha chickuns. I tol’ him no ‘cause they peck,” Thor answered, keeping his hand on Loki’s arm.

“Loki,” Bjorn called.

Loki finally stopped crying long enough to look toward the old cook. Bjorn smiled down at him and finger waved. He was a rather plump guy, having rusty red hair and beard with a hint of gray. When he smiled he revealed a mouth that was half full of teeth.

“Euh?” Loki uttered, wrinkling his nose and looking the cook up and down. He’d seen better-looking people in the palace.

Bjorn came closer and knelt down, tickling Loki’s belly, causing the little tyke to crack a smile and giggle.

“How’d you two like a snack?” Bjorn asked with a wink toward Thor. “I’ve got some lovely pastries that just came out of the oven. And there’s also a bowl of fresh oranges.”

“Yeah!” Thor beamed. He pulled on Loki’s arm, but Loki wasn’t about to comply. Instead, he pulled in the opposite direction and whined pitifully, turning his attention back to the chickens.

“Loki, c’mon, we’re gonna get treats.”

Loki cried and sat down, refusing to budge.

Thor sighed, pointing a finger at him. “’Kay. ‘tay there. I dun care. Jus’ behave youself.”

Loki stopped crying and watched as his brother and Bjorn walked into the kitchen, both of them eventually disappearing behind a stack of wooden boxes. He smiled, rolled to a position that allowed him to get back on his feet, and walked over to the chicken cage. His curious green eyes studied the birds in silent fascination. He was about to put his hand in but remembered Thor’s reaction. Instead, his small hand rested on the crate door latch, playfully fingering it.

Five minutes later, an enormous, horrific squawking suddenly met the ears of Thor and Bjorn, which was immediately followed by a loud familiar squeal.

“Loki!” Thor shouted. He dropped the pastry he had been holding, and he and Bjorn quickly ran to the doorway and stopped. Thor imagined all sorts of things in that short time. The main one being that Loki had had his finger or hand bitten off by one of the chickens. What met them, though, was a flock of terrified chickens fluttering and bouncing off the hall walls, the door to their crate having been opened. But, much to Thor’s horror, his little brother was nowhere to be seen.

“Where’s Loki??” Thor shouted over the squawking as Bjorn struggled to herd the chickens into a corner. One chicken, in particular, wasn’t making the old cook’s job easy. She was going wild, flapping and fluttering everywhere, causing the others to become even more agitated.

“I don’t know!” Bjorn shouted back, shielding his face from a fluttering chicken. “Confound these birds! How did they get loose anyway?” He grabbed a broom out of frustration and swung it around, hitting a few chickens and causing more feathers to fly. Instead of cornering them like he planned, he succeeded in chasing them further down the hall until he lost them when they went cackling into another area of the palace. Bjorn, out of breath, stopped at the end of the hall and scratched his head. “I can’t figure it out. That one chicken looked like it was purposely chasing the others.”

“I can’ find Loki!” Thor shouted in shock when the air cleared of clucking. He ran up and stopped next to the winded cook. “Tha chickuns ate Loki, ‘Jorn!”

“Wha? How could chickens eat your brother?”

“I dunno, but they had to eat him! I gotta catch those chickuns.” Thor ran down the hall the chickens had disappeared.

“Hey, wait!” Bjorn shouted, running after Thor. “You can’t catch those birds by yourself!”

The doors to the throne room burst open in a mighty, booming explosion of feathers and screeching chickens. A deafening mix of cackling and flapping wings echoed through the long hallway as chickens of every color and size bounced and fluttered all over the place like bouncy balls, feathers falling like snow. Odin, Frigga, and their visitors stared in stunned silence, not knowing what to say or think of the sudden interruption. As the chickens made their way toward the throne, the visitors started getting nervous and backing away. They turned a worried look to Odin, saying something in another language. The All-Father didn’t move, didn’t say anything. Instead, he continued to sit on his throne, staring forward, his right hand closing tightly around Gungnir. Frigga gave him a glance and then turned her gaze back to the flapping birds.

Right behind the chickens came Thor, running as fast as he could. He skidded to a stop several feet from the doorway. 

“Shoo! Go ‘way chickuns! Give me back ma brotha!” Thor shouted. The chickens squawked and screeched louder in reply. By now, some of them had made it to the throne. Frigga screamed as a wave of flapping wings and feathers landed on top of her and Odin, and chased the terrified visitors.

Right behind Thor came Bjorn, still swinging his broom like a madman.

“Why are you stopping, Thor? We’ve got the devils on the run! I—” Bjorn stopped when he realized where they were. He put his broom down and cleared his throat, offering a bow toward the All-Father at the end of the room.

“Begging your pardon, your majesty,” he said.

“What goes on here??” Odin boomed, knocking a screeching chicken out of his face with Gungnir. “I demand to know who is responsible for this…this outrage!” He reached up and knocked off a chicken that was in the process of roosting on his head.

The visitors had taken cover in a corner. They cowered low to the ground and watched as the chickens went by. Occasionally they muttered to each other in their native tongue, attempting to ward off the chicken evil by making strange signs with their hands that were apparently linked to whatever religion they followed.

Frigga quickly picked up the skirts of her dress and held them as she ran down the steps and down the hall, stopping in front of Thor. Thor saw that her face was flushed red, and she didn’t look happy.

“Thor, what’s going on?” Frigga sternly shouted over the noise. “Where is Loki? Thor, what in the Nine Realms have you done?”

“It wasn’ my fault, Mommy, honest! The chickuns ate Loki!”

“Ate him?” Frigga said, a bit confused. She looked around at the pandemonium, dodging and swatting at a chicken that flew up over her head and went cackling off behind her.

“Yes, Mommy. Loki wuz lookin’ at tha chickuns, and then the next…poof! Brotha was gone an’ the chickuns were loosed. So tha chickuns musta eaten him. Don’ worry, Mommy, I get him back.” With that, Thor ran off, jumping and swatting at chickens and trying to corral them into a corner.

Frigga understood now. Fear prickled her skin and she turned and quickly looked around the room, trying to make some sort of sense out of the chaos. Then she spotted what she was looking for. One specific chicken was oddly chasing the rest around the room, causing them to go mad. It was a small black chicken with a large white spot on its chest. But the eyes…they didn’t look like any normal chicken’s eyes. They were green and looked strangely Asgardian…Jotun.

“I see you,” Frigga whispered under her breath. Somehow she had to get Loki out of there without anyone else finding out. And she had to get him before he was thrust in with the other chickens and turned into dinner.

“Bjorn,” she called to the cook.

“Yes, your majesty?” Bjorn said, walking up to her.

“Can you get these chickens out of here?”

“I’m trying, your majesty. But they’ve been spooked by something.” He looked around, catching sight of Loki. The cook nodded at him. “That bird there. She seems to be chasing the others and keeping them stirred up. I can’t figure it out.”

“I’ll take care of that one,” Frigga shouted over the cackling. “You and Thor try to get the rest out. If we separate them, maybe you can get them under control.”

Bjorn nodded at the plan and gripped the handle of his broom tighter. He batted a chicken out of the way, just as it was about to hook its talons into his shoulder. Frigga watched as he made his way over to Thor and told him about the new plan. Thor nodded, and together they started rounding up the regular chickens.

When her son and the cook weren’t looking, Frigga ran over to where chicken Loki was busy chasing two hens in a circle on her right. It took a few efforts, with her pretty much making a fool of herself, but she finally caught hold of Loki and held him tightly to her chest as he squawked and flapped his wings. She momentarily locked eyes with Odin, who continued to sit unmoving on his throne. The All-Father’s face was frozen in an angry scowl and had, by now, turned a very dark shade of red. Judging by his looks, she knew his temper was on the verge of exploding, but he was apparently keeping himself under control for the sake of the visitors. She wasn’t sure if he knew the chicken in her hands was Loki or not, but she turned and ran out of the room as quickly as she possibly could before he finally figured it out. With Loki gone, she was sure that Thor and Bjorn would be able to get the other chickens out easily.

Frigga didn’t stop running until she got to her and Odin’s bedroom and shut the door. She opened her arms and let Loki flutter out. He flapped his wings and bounced and screeched and threw a huge chicken tantrum as he made his way around the room, eventually landing in the middle of the bed to rest. He sat there and stared up at his mother.

“Caused enough trouble today?” Frigga asked, slowly approaching her little son.

“Brrrawk,” said chicken Loki, moving his head in a jerky motion.

“You can turn back any time now.” She sat down beside him.

Loki let out one last defiant cackle before the black chicken melted into the shape of a normal little baby. He smiled happily, clapping his hands.

“GAHEEE!” he squealed in glee. That was really fun! He wanted to do it again! He reached over and grabbed up the picture book Frigga had given him and offered it to her. It was fun to play with the creatures he saw in his book. What were they called?—chickens? “Chic.”

His smile dropped when he looked up into the face of his mother and saw she wasn’t smiling. He studied the grim expression a minute before cracking another smile, still offering the book. What was wrong? He was having fun; why wasn’t Mommy?

“Muh?”

Finally, Frigga’s face relaxed and the faint hint of a smile formed on her lips. She took the offered book and laid it on her lap.

“What am I going to do with you?” she said, leaning over and waggling her finger in Loki’s face. “My little naughty boy.” She tapped his nose and caused him to squeal. She couldn’t help but laugh when the image of Loki chasing the chickens went through her mind. “How did you ever get into that situation anyway? Hm?”

“Eeedah!” Loki squealed. Actually, he wasn’t sure. Somehow he just found his way there. “Chic!”

Frigga tickled his belly and he squealed and laughed, rolling over on his back. As Loki laughed, his form melted back into a chicken. The All-Mother’s eyebrows rose in surprise as she lay there and watched the black hen roll around on its back and kick its legs like a baby.

“Now, Loki,” said Frigga, fixing him with a warning glare, “you turn back this instant, young man. You’ve caused enough chaos for one day. I do not want to see another chicken for a long time.”

Loki stopped flapping his wings and kicking his feet and looked at his mother. What was wrong with being a chicken? He thought it was fun! His form melted again and he was back to normal.

Frigga sighed and shook her head. “You’re going to have to be careful with the shapeshifting. We can’t let just anyone see you doing that. It’s supposed to be a secret.” She put a finger to her lips and made a shush gesture. Loki smiled, putting his fingers in his mouth and gumming them. He still didn’t see what was so wrong about being a chicken. But if Mommy didn’t want him to be one, then he’d appease her.

Suddenly, Loki popped into a butterfly, causing Frigga to jump. Surely she wouldn’t disapprove of that.

“Loki!” Frigga said crossly.

Loki’s form changed to normal. No pretty flutterbyes either? Why was she in such a horrible mood?

“I think you need a nap,” she said.

Loki emitted a whine in reply. No! He didn’t need a nap! Just because he liked turning into animals, it meant he needed a nap? He kicked and beat the bed with his feet.

“Mommy?” the faint voice came to Frigga’s ears. She turned to see Thor slowly making his way into the bedroom.

“Thor,” She smiled, “Come on in. Look who I found.” She reached and picked Loki up.

“Loki!” Thor said happily, his eyes widening. “He wasn’ eaten by chickuns?”

“No, he wasn’t eaten by chickens.” Frigga laughed. “I found him safe and sound.”

“Yippee!!” Thor bounced up and down and ran to Frigga’s side.

“Chic!” Loki squeaked, smiling down at Thor.

“Did you and Bjorn succeed in gathering up all of the chickens?” Frigga asked.

Thor gave a quick nod. “Yes! Some of tha servinks came an’ brought a big cage and we put um inside it. Well, ‘Jorn did, but I helped!”

“That’s good.” Frigga smiled. “Now, you and Loki need to take a nap.”

“Awwww, do we hafta?” Thor whined. “I wanna go tell Daddy tha’ we found Loki.”

“Um…I don’t think you need to be around your father for awhile. Maybe after you take a nap, hm?”

“Aw, awight.”


	13. Loki's Problem

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I apologize for a lengthy hiatus on this fanfic. No, I haven’t forgotten about it. On the contrary, I’ve felt guilty for keeping all of my readers hanging on it for so long. I’ve been trying to get back into writing on it for some time now, but life has just been getting in the way. Some of it couldn’t be helped. It’s been a very busy and eventful year and summer for me. For those who don’t know, I’ve been busy fixing up some of my original stories to publish on Amazon and Smashwords and trying to get my author career going (almost there). And I've also been busy writing on the first book in a series I'm putting together and will be publishing in the near future. My whole summer has been dedicated to this, so I haven’t had much free time to work on updating fanfics until now. I've missed writing on my fics, so I'm going to try and set aside time on the weekends to work on them from now on so I won't keep on leaving everyone hanging.

“Die, villin!” Thor shouted as he thrust his wooden sword at an imaginary invader.

Thor ran through the halls of the palace with Loki fighting to keep up. Being younger and smaller, he struggled hard to do everything his big brother did. Although, at times, he became frustrated that parts of his body refused to do what he wanted them to do, especially when running. He’d just begun to walk, and he was still trying to get the hang of it. He studied other people around him, but try as he might, he just couldn’t do it as good as they did. And Brother couldn’t understand.

There was a noisy thud and crying followed shortly after. Sighing, Thor stopped and turned to see what happened. It wasn’t the first time that day. For the umpteenth time, Loki lay sprawled tummy-down on the floor. He lifted a red, teary face to Thor as he struggled to regain his footing, his tiny legs not wanting to work with him. Thor knew he was more frustrated than actually hurt. Halfheartedly he ran to his little brother’s side and scooped him up in his arms. The first several times of doing this action, he was gravely concerned that his brother had injured himself. But now, it was going toward being routine.

“There, there, Loki, it’s otay,” Thor said as he patted Loki’s back. “I will be glad when you ‘tart walkin’ better. You gotta lern ta gain contol of your legs.”

“Mup,” Loki replied with a half-hiccup as he steadied himself. He would if they would just work with him! He couldn’t understand why they wouldn’t work with him. Legs were funny things.

“See? Like dis,” Thor said as he moved one foot in front of the other. Loki looked on with curious eyes before turning his gaze up to Thor. “You don’ run an’ get ‘em tangled up. You hafta put one in front of tha other.” He brushed down Loki’s messy hair curls and sighed again. He squatted in front of his little brother and checked him over for cuts. He noted that Loki had received many bruises over the past week. No wonder. Thor lost count of how many times Loki had fallen, sometimes into furniture.

Thor kissed Loki’s forehead and straightened, taking Loki by the hand and gently leading him forward. “C’mon. You wanna go to tha garden?”

“Yiss!” Loki said happily, flapping one hand excitedly. The garden! Yes, always the garden! He loved the garden. He’d live there if Mommy would allow.

Thor led Loki through the hallways and finally into the gardens. He only had to stop twice along the way to pick his little brother up. When they got outside, he was relieved to let him fall down and roll on the soft grass.

Now this was what Loki wanted all along! He didn’t have to walk out here if he didn’t want to. He could just roll around in the grass and look up at the sky and the big, white fluffies and listen to the birds.

“Eeedah!” he squealed with glee, reaching toward the sky and clouds. He opened and closed his hands.

“Da outer walls are under ‘tack by trolls agin, Lord Bahadur,” said Thor as he slipped back into his imaginative play. He waved his wooden sword around, taking in the surrounding trees. “Whut should we do?”

Loki giggled.

“Cum, now, Bahadur, it is not laughin’ matter.”

Loki turned bright eyes to Thor and kicked at the ground, putting a thumb in his mouth.

“Gazooks! Lord Bahadur has been turned into an infint. It mus’ be work of magic.”

Loki only smiled. He didn’t know what Brother was talking about, but it seemed to make him happy. And that made Loki happy. He watched Thor walk off in the opposite direction, lost to his own little world, and then he turned his head around to regard the patch of beautiful pink flowers on his right. They were really pretty!

“Agee!” he squealed. He rolled over and got to his feet, wobbling the short distance before tipping over head first right into the middle of the flowers. A cloud of pollen, petals, and insects erupted all around him. Loki sneezed while he struggled to right himself. When he fell back on his bottom and finally got his bearings again, he looked down at the ruined plants in front of him and the Loki-shaped dent in the center.

“Muh?” he said sadly. He couldn’t understand it. They were pretty a second ago. What happened? He reached and cupped a hand around the flower next to his leg and squeezed it. Several petals came off in his palm. He studied them, lifting a finger to poke at them. “Awhauh,” he said, looking at the patch of flowers again and then down at the petals he held. Try as he might, he just couldn’t figure it out. Did he…destroy them?

Loki reached out again and plucked one of the flowers off its stem and looked intently at the pink bloom. He put his nose to it and smiled. It smelt good.

“Bwah!”

“Loki,” Thor’s voice suddenly called out, “wha’d you do?” He ran up behind his brother, his eyes studying the flattened flowers. Loki quickly turned around. He smiled and proudly held the bloom up for Thor to see.

“Ee? Flur,” he said.

“I cun see that, but wha’d you do to ‘em?”

Loki lowered his arm and turned to the flower patch. What was Brother talking about? He didn’t do anything to them. It just sort of…happened. One second they were there and the next they weren’t. He held the bloom up for Thor to see again.

“Mommy’s gonna be mad when she sees dis,” Thor continued. He ignored Loki’s proffered flower, threw his sword down, and knelt beside Loki. He deftly tried straightening the ruined flowers but no matter what he did, they still remained a flattened, broken wreck.

Loki just sat and watched.

“There,” Thor said, getting to his feet and appraising his work. The flowers looked worse than when he started, but he still thought he’d done something good. He turned to Loki. “’Kay, now behave youself.”

Loki smiled and put the flower bloom to his mouth.

“No!” Thor took the flower away. Loki scrunched his brow up and whined in protest, making grabby hands. Why couldn’t he have the flower? It was his! Brother had no right to take it from him!

“No, brotha, tha’s not food. You can’ eat it.”

Loki let out a loud scream, glaring at Thor. Thor let the flower fall from his hand and picked Loki up, carrying him the short distance to put back on the grass where he’d been. The whole time Loki kicked and squalled and cried.

“Now, ‘tay here,” Thor ordered. Loki gave a loud, irritated squeal in reply and beat his feet against the ground. Sighing, Thor plopped down beside him. He reached out and began to gently massage the back of Loki’s neck. Slowly Loki’s muscles relaxed. That felt good.

At that moment, a butterfly floated over Loki’s head. Instantly Loki’s bad mood melted into a smile. He always liked seeing flutterbyes! They made him happy.

“Flut!” he squeaked.

“It’s a butterfly,” Thor explained.

“Flut!” Loki squeaked again.

Thor wasn’t sure what he was seeing. He just sat there dumbfounded and stared as Loki’s form melted into a butterfly identical to the one that was now inspecting the ruined flower patch.

“Loki, how you do dat?” Thor breathed out, his eyes wide with awe. Loki’s butterfly form lifted off the ground and soared through the air. “Loki, wait! Come back!” Thor scrambled to his feet and hopped after Loki, trying to catch him in his hands. But Loki wasn’t going to be caught. He saw what Thor was trying to do and continued to fly farther and farther away. This was fun! He might not have been able to walk well, but he could fly. And fly he was going to do. He didn’t care what Thor did.

He flew as fast as he could through the garden until he lost sight of Thor. Eventually, he came to a little grove where a large patch of flowers grew. He saw other butterflies flitting from flower to flower and bathing themselves in the beams of sunlight that poked through the trees.

But there was a strange creature he’d never seen before.

Loki hovered in place and watched a tiny bird zip around to each flower. It was shiny green and had a long, thin beak. Its little wings flapped so fast they were a blur. But it was green! He liked that color. Slowly Loki’s butterfly form morphed into a bird just like the one he was watching. He staggered from side to side and took a dip downward until he gained control. Whoa! This bird was much faster than a flutterbye. He liked it. He darted around the grove, upsetting the sunbathing butterflies and scattering flower petals.

“Loki!” He heard Thor’s voice call out. “Loki, where are you?”

Loki stopped abruptly. Gently, he eased himself down and landed on one of the flowers, turning to look as Thor came out of the trees and into the clearing. His brother frantically peered around at the agitated butterflies fluttering around.

“Loki? Is tha you?” he whispered, reaching out to poke at a yellow and black butterfly that came near his face. Loki tilted his head to the side as he studied Thor. The blond-haired boy inspected every butterfly the best to his ability, finally coming to the conclusion that he had permanently lost his little brother. “Loki, where are you??” he shouted in frustration. “Mommy’s gonna be so mad.”

Suddenly Loki’s hummingbird form melted and he became a baby again.

“Gah!” he squealed happily as he sat in the middle of the flowers. Thor spun around. Loki giggled.

“There you are!” Thor breathed out. Relief washed over his small face. He walked over and picked Loki up. “Don’ ever do that agin…however you did it.”

Loki giggled and wiggled and kicked as Thor carried him through the trees. He didn’t want to go back! He was having too much fun. Besides, the clearing where the flowers were was so pretty—and the tiny bird and butterflies.

Thor struggled not to fall down as he fought to keep a firm hold on his brother. Every five steps he took he had to stop and adjust Loki in his arms, getting a shrill protest in return. Loki pushed against Thor’s face and pulled at his hair.

“Stop it,” Thor finally shouted. Loki ignored him.

It wasn’t until they were almost to the tree line that Thor realized Loki started feeling lighter and lighter as if he was shrinking. He looked down in his arms to see a fluffy, white rabbit in place of the black-haired baby he had been holding. He gasped, his hold automatically becoming tighter, determined that Loki wasn’t going to get away this time. In response, Loki’s bunny form kicked and wriggled and thrashed about as he tried getting out of Thor’s arms.

“No you don’,” said Thor. He picked up speed and ran the last few feet until he broke out of the trees and into the sunlight. Just as he came out, he heard Lífdís calling him.

“Thor!” the nursemaid said. “Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you for the past twenty minutes.”

“Sowwy,” Thor apologized, “I had ta go afta Loki. He ran away.”

Lífdís turned a puzzled yet horrified look to the little prince. “Where is he now?”

“Righ’ here,” Thor held the bunny up for the nurse to see.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Lífdís said. “That isn’t Loki. It’s a rabbit.”

“It is so Loki,” Thor said irritably. “He turned into tha rabbit. I don’ know how. I tink he’s haunted.”

“Thor, where is Loki?” Lífdís asked sternly, her voice teetering towards panic. “If you’ve left him alone out there somewhere, I’m going to—”

“He’s righ’ here!” said Thor, his voice rising to a squeak. Again he lifted the bunny up for Lífdís to see. He shook the animal as if the action would somehow cause Loki to turn back into his normal form. “He turned into a butterfly an’ flied away. Then I went afta him and found him ‘gain. But then he turned into a bunny. I’m not lyin’. Sometin’s wrong with ma little brotha.”

“Now, Thor…”

Tired of the argument, Loki popped back into his baby form, nearly causing Thor to drop him due to the sudden weight change. Lífdís gasped and stepped back, shock playing across her face, as she struggled to take in what she’d just witnessed. Adding to the confusion, Loki screamed out his annoyance at the top of his voice.

“See, I told ya,” said Thor as he struggled to gather the flailing baby into his arms.

“I-I think it’s time for his nap,” said Lífdís, stretching out her arms to take Loki from Thor. Thor was all too happy to give him over to the nurse. “And it’s time for yours as well.”

“Aw, do I hafta?”

“Yes,” Lífdís snapped. She didn’t mean to. Her mind was just preoccupied with the recent events. She had so many questions to ask Frigga. Her face softened as she stretched out a hand to Thor. “Yes, you do. Now come on.”

Reluctantly, Thor followed Lífdís to the nursery where she put him to bed. Loki, however, posed a greater challenge. He continued to scream and fight the nurse every step of the way. He didn’t want a nap! He wanted to play in the garden and turn into a tiny green bird!

The little giant continued his tantrum through Lífdís changing his diaper, kicking at her hands every time she attempted to do something to him. Finally, she called a servant in and told him to fetch Frigga.

Frigga appeared at Lífdís’s side no more than five minutes after the servant left. Her brow was drawn down in worry as she gathered the red-faced, screaming baby into her arms.

“What’s wrong, Lífdís?” she asked. Feeling Frigga’s touch, Loki immediately quieted his screaming into whimpers and curled up in her arms.

“I…don’t know…” the nurse answered. “He’s been like this ever since I brought him in from the garden.”

Frigga turned a worried look to the nurse. “The garden?”

“Thor took him out there,” Lífdís explained. “They were playing.”

Frigga nodded. She looked down at Loki, running a finger over his cheeks to wipe away the tear trails.

“I tried putting him down for a nap, but he refuses to stop crying. I thought he needed changing, but he won’t let me do it.”

“Loki, what’s wrong? Hm?” Frigga cooed. “Why won’t you let Lífdís change you?”

Loki smiled up at Frigga, giving a tiny hiccup in reply. She put him down on the changing table and went through the process of putting a clean diaper on him while she continued to talk to him. Lífdís stood to the side and watched curiously, her eyes looking from the All-Mother to the baby giant. When Frigga finished her task, the nurse approached her.

“Your majesty,” Lífdís started, lowering her voice, “would it be possible for us to speak in private?”

Frigga turned to the nurse, a puzzled look on her face. Finally, she nodded. “Yes, I suppose.”

Frigga led them to her and Odin’s bedroom, closing the door. “What did you wish to talk about, Lífdís?”

The nurse hesitated a moment. “It’s about Loki…”

Frigga searched the nurse’s face, her stomach churning into a knot. What was this conversation going to be about? She moved toward the bed, seating herself on the edge. She shifted Loki to her other arm and continued patting his back.

“Yes?”

“Ma’am, I think there’s something wrong with him.” Lífdís nervously twisted a piece of her dress.

“Why do you say that?”

“When I went to the garden to fetch Thor, he approached me while holding a white rabbit. He said it was Loki. Naturally, I didn’t believe him because it was so absurd. But the rabbit _was_ Loki. Milady, Loki had turned into a rabbit. I saw it with my own eyes. He turned back into a baby right before me. He’s bewitched.”

Frigga remained silent for some time, her gaze falling on the baby in the crook of her arm. She smiled as she pinched at the little chubby cheeks. By this time, Loki had quieted down and was fighting against sleep. His eyes drooped and he yawned every few seconds, but he continued to force himself to stay awake. He pawed at her breast and whimpered. Frigga’s eyebrows lifted, her smile turning into an understanding grin. After she positioned herself where Loki could comfortably nurse, she turned her attention to Lífdís again. She was lost for words, not knowing how to reply.

“I should have told you from the beginning,” she started.

“Told me what?”

“Loki is a…is a shapeshifter,” Frigga finally said. Lífdís’s face visibly relaxed. “I don’t know how to explain it. It’s as much of a mystery to me as it is to you.”

And that was the truth. Frigga still couldn’t understand how and why Loki had shapeshifting abilities. She couldn’t figure it out, and she wasn’t about to explain it to Lífdís. She held her breath, hoping the nurse’s curiosity had been appeased by the simple answer. She had no plans to tell her Loki was also a Frost Giant.

“Interesting,” Lífdís said at last. “I suppose there are reasons why he was born that way.”

Frigga nodded. “Yes. Reasons we cannot hope to understand at this time. I’m…sorry I didn’t tell you about it before now. I wasn’t sure how you would have taken it. I’m not even sure I would have found the words to tell you.”

Lífdís nodded that she understood. “It’s just as well, milady. I doubt I would have believed you even if you had of told me. I’m just relieved that he isn’t under a spell.” She laughed.

Frigga laughed along with her.


	14. Little Ray of Sunshine

He couldn’t understand why Mommy wasn’t feeling well.

During the afternoons, she always sat by the window or out on the balcony and read while he played around her feet. It was their special time of each day that they spent together without Thor or anyone else. It was just the two of them. Sometimes Frigga would read or tell him stories or would get down on hands and knees to play with him. And she always carried on conversations with him even though he was unable to reply in anything more than childish babble. She always seemed to understand what he was talking about and responded accordingly unlike others.

But one day all of that stopped. Over the past two weeks, all she did was sit on the balcony and stare out over the garden, a sad, clouded look in her eyes. She barely acknowledged what went on around her. Some days she didn’t spend much time with him at all but left him and Thor with Lífdís for hours on end while she went off elsewhere. He didn’t know what she did in that time, but he didn’t like the thought of her being alone.

What was wrong with her?

Did he do something wrong?

Was it because of him shapeshifting in front of Lífdís? But that happened almost three weeks ago…

Loki looked up at Frigga’s listless form. He grabbed hold of her skirt to keep himself from toppling over, giving it a light tug to get her attention.

“Mup?” he asked, holding one of his wooden blocks up toward her. She didn’t respond. He studied her closely. Then he pulled himself onto his feet and reached out to put the block in her hand. Only then did she respond.

“Hm?” she said, her voice lacking the cheerfulness and spirit it normally had. She looked at the block. Finally, a weak smile appeared on her lips. “Is this for me?”

“Ah!” Loki smiled.

Frigga ran a hand over Loki’s head as she handed the block back. “I don’t feel like playing right now. You go ahead and play.”

Loki’s smile fell. His green eyes looked at the block and up at Frigga. He let go of her dress, turned, and shakily walked a few steps before letting the block roll out of his hand and hit the stone balcony floor with a clatter.

Mommy was sad. And it made him sad. He wanted to cheer her up, but he didn’t know how. He offered his block to her, but apparently it wasn’t enough.

He bent over and grasped his cloth picture book and wobbled over to Frigga’s side. He lifted it up for her to see. The colorful pictures she painted in it always made him feel better when he was feeling sad. Maybe it would help.

Without a word, Frigga gently took the book from her son’s hand, folded it, and handed it back to him. He stood a moment and stared, confused by the actions. She didn’t even look at it! He dropped the book and reached for a wooden toy animal to give Frigga. She responded in the same way.

Now, what? He’d offered her everything he knew of.

Loki’s eyes drifted over to the nearest pot of flowers. He squeaked and toddled over to it. Reaching out, he plucked one of the violet blooms off its stem. He looked at it and then turned and made his way to Frigga’s side.

“Flur,” he said as he put the flower in Frigga’s hand.

The All-Mother blinked and looked down at the smashed and wrinkled bloom. It was as if a splash of color suddenly penetrated her grey world. She picked the flower up between two fingers, staring at it like she’d never seen one before. She looked down at Loki. He smiled at her.

“You picked this just for me?”

“Yiss!” Loki replied. He quickly poked the flower with a finger and turned his smiling face back to his mother.

“Thank you,” Frigga whispered. “You are so sweet.” She leaned over and planted a kiss on Loki’s face. He squealed and flapped his arms excitedly. Frigga laughed. It was the first time she’d laughed in several weeks. Hearing it made Loki happy. It made him so happy that he danced and twirled and clung to her skirts, almost falling down. He stretched his arms out to her.

Still smiling, Frigga placed the flower on the table beside her and took Loki up in her arms and sat him on her lap. She ran a hand over his head, smoothing down his hair. But she found that she liked him with messy cowlicks, so she ruffled his hair again. She giggled at the sight. And that made Loki laugh. Then he got an idea.

Loki’s shape suddenly turned into a little black kitten. It took Frigga by surprise but seeing the kitten made her smile grow wider. And there was a hint of sparkle in her eyes like it used to be before she fell into this state. Loki mewed and climbed up the front of Frigga to snuggle around her neck and shoulders.

“Aww,” Frigga said as she ran her hand over Loki’s soft fur. He rubbed around her face and butted her head with is head and purred. He lost his footing and slipped and almost fell off, clinging to Frigga’s shoulder with his tiny claws out of reflex. “Ow!” she yelped. “I think that’s quite enough.”

Picking her son up, Frigga placed him down on the balcony floor beside her chair. Even in kitten form, Loki’s hair stood out in messy cowlicks all over his body. He jumped and took off running across the balcony, attacked a leaf, and ran back, his skinny little tail sticking straight up like a fuzzy stick. He attacked one of his blocks and rolled over. He jumped to his feet, arching his back and walking sideways. He attacked the block again before running across the balcony and back a second time.

Frigga laughed hard at seeing such a sight.

“You’re a silly little thing,” she said in between laughter.

On Loki’s third running trip across the balcony, his form melted into a squirrel halfway. He bounded through the air, sprang off Frigga’s knee, and landed on the table. He sat there, twitching and twirling his tail and making chattering noises.

By this time, Frigga was laughing so hard her eyes were starting to water. She stretched out a hand and ran it over Loki’s fur.

“You’ve cheered me up, little one,” she said. “Thank you.”

Loki was glad to hear that. He let out a joyful chirrup and jumped onto Frigga’s lap. The squirrel melted and became a baby again. Frigga wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close and covered his face with kisses, blowing a raspberry on his cheek. The action sent Loki into a fit of giggles and squeals.

“You want me to read you a story?” Frigga asked.

“Yiss!” Loki squeaked. He was happy she sounded like her old self again.

Frigga picked up a book from the table and flipped through it until she came to a story.

“Ah, here we go,” she said, placing the book in front of Loki so he could see the illustrations while she read. “I don’t think you’ve heard this one before.”

For the rest of the afternoon, Frigga read to Loki. With each hour that passed, the All-Mother felt better, but Loki could tell she wasn’t all the way there yet. At least he felt like he’d done his part in aiding her on the road to recovery. Even Odin commented during supper that Frigga seemed chipper than she had been the past few weeks.

That night, Frigga bid Thor and Loki good night after reading them a story and retired to bed. She admitted that she did feel lighter and happier. It was a relief. Being depressed was a horrible feeling.

Loki lay awake in his cradle long after Frigga left, listening. The nursery was still and quiet except for the light breathing and occasional snore Lífdís was doing across from him. He turned his head to the side and peered at the sleeping form of the nurse through the bars of the bed’s side rail. He worried about Mommy. True that she was feeling better, but he was still concerned. She shouldn’t be alone. No one should be alone when they’re feeling unhappy.

Loki rolled over and sat up. All the time he kept his eyes on Lífdís. She suddenly moved in her sleep. Loki froze in place until she situated herself and started snoring again. Then he stood up and leaned against the side of the cradle, studying the nursery door. It was cracked just the tiniest bit, allowing for a slim stream of light to filter in from the hallway.

“Deh,” said Loki softly, his eyes twinkling with excitement. His form changed into a hummingbird and he flew out of the cradle and straight through the door’s crack. He made his way down the hall to Frigga’s room. But the doors were closed. He couldn’t get inside. He hovered around, trying to find a hole or crack or anything. There wasn’t one. How was he going to get inside?

Loki landed on the floor and changed back into a baby. He looked up at the massive, tall doors and whimpered. Then he screamed loudly and began to cry. It wasn’t long before the doors opened wide and Frigga’s sleepy form appeared in their place.

“Loki,” she said as she bent down and scooped him up into her arms, “what are you doing out here?”

Loki stopped his crying once he was in Frigga’s arms. “Mup!” he said as if saying, “I’m here to keep you company.”

Frigga hugged him tightly, kissing his cheek, and walked toward the nursery. “It’s time for you to be in bed. How did you get out here?” She examined the nursery door before entering, placing her fingers through the small crack. She turned to Loki. “Let me guess…a butterfly.”

“Da,” said Loki.

Shaking her head, Frigga entered the room and settled herself into the rocking chair and prepared to nurse Loki.


	15. Volstagg Eats Too Much

“C’mon, Loki,” Thor urged as he half-dragged, half-carried Loki like a ragdoll. Despite his little brother’s whines of protest, Thor insisted that he join him in the garden. “You will like ma new friends.”

Loki thought that was all well and good, but he just hoped he would get to the garden in one piece. Thor stopped a third time to straighten Loki’s clothing and to gather him up in his arms, carrying him the rest of the way. He bounded out through the back door and down the stone path until he arrived at the main clearing where a group of kids was waiting for him.

“Hey, guys,” Thor called, “look a’ whut I have!” He presented a whining, wriggling Loki for the kids to see.

In the midst of being bounced around by Thor’s rough handling, Loki managed to turn his head enough to get a glimpse of the kids directly in front of him. There were three boys and a little girl that had the most beautiful golden hair. Okay, not as beautiful as Mommy’s, but it was close.

The blond-haired boy in front wrinkled his nose. “It’s a baby,” he stated the obvious as Thor placed Loki down on the ground at their feet.

“It is,” Thor replied proudly. “He’s ma brotha. His name’s Loki.”

The kids chattered with each other and gathered around Loki like he was something put on exhibit. It made him feel a bit uncomfortable, but he decided to ignore it for the time being. The fascination of these strangers outweighed his sense of security for once. He curiously gazed up into the new faces, his brow scrunching up in concentration as he studied each one. The blond-haired boy sniffed and wiped his nose on his sleeve as he talked with Thor. There was also a chubby redheaded boy with freckles who smelt of stale meat and cheese. He was in the middle of munching on a piece of bread as he leaned down to get a closer look at Loki. He smiled and finger waved, stretching a finger out to poke Loki’s nose. Loki shook his head, wrinkled his nose, and turned away to look at the black-haired boy behind him. He hadn’t spoken a word since they arrived but watched everything in silence.

Lastly, Loki turned his head to peer up at the little girl and smiled. Some fool made the mistake of putting a dress on her, he could clearly see. It was torn in places, lace hanging off, and smeared with dirt from where she’d been playing outside all day. Her shoes were also missing. Hanging loosely around her waist was a strap of leather, a wooden sword attached to it by means of a crudely made sheath.

“Mwah!” Loki squeaked as he reached out to grab hold of the girl’s skirt.

“C’mon, Thor, get off,” the blond-haired boy said suddenly. “Yur jestin’ me.”

“It’s true, Fandral, he _can_ change inta animuls. I seen ‘im do it. Mommy says he’s a…a…shapeshiftee.”

“You mean shapeshifter?” Volstagg corrected.

“Tha’s what I said.”

Fandral waved them both off, giving a loud sniff.

Thor turned to Loki. “Loki, this is Fandral.” He pointed to the redheaded boy and then the black-haired boy. “Tha’s Volstagg an’ Hogun.” Then he pointed to the girl. “An’ tha’s Sif.”

Sif got down on hands and knees in front of Loki. “Hey there,” she said, smiling. “You’re cute.” She ran her hand over Loki’s head, smoothing his hair down. Loki smiled back at her. She was nice. He liked her. Fandral was okay. He smelt funny, but he was okay. Hogun was okay, too. He still hadn’t said anything, but that was okay. It was better than talking too much. And Volstagg…

Loki turned and looked at Volstagg again. The boy had traded his piece of bread for an apple, of which he practically inhaled in a matter of several seconds before throwing the core into a nearby azalea bush. He reached into his leather pouch and pulled out a banana.

Loki’s opinion of Volstagg? He ate too much.

Sif hefted Loki onto her lap and held him there, kissing his head. She grabbed his arms and playfully moved them around. Loki twisted round to look up at the girl, his eyes fixating on her golden curls.

Thor got down on his knees in front of Loki. “P’ease, Loki, change into an animul. Show ‘em I’m not lyin’.”

Loki turned from Sif to Thor. “Muh?”

“Animul,” said Thor. “Ya know, like when you turned into da bunny.”

Loki lifted his hand and began sucking on his fingers, his eyes wandering to the surrounding trees and flowers. He wasn’t sure he felt like changing.

“Puweeeeeeze, Loki,” Thor begged. “…I’ll give ya ma whipped berry porridge tonight.” Even as the words left his lips, Thor regretted his decision. But he was desperate.

Loki’s head perked up. “Mwaip!” he chirped. Instantly, his form melted into a white bunny.

“He did it!” Sif squealed. She picked up bunny Loki and ran her cheek over his soft fur.

“I’ll be…” Fandral breathed, his eyes growing wide. “How’d he do tha’?”

“I told ya he’s a shapeshiftee.”

“Wha’ other animuls can he turn into?” Sif asked.

“A lot of ‘em,” Thor replied. “I only seen butterfly an’ bunny.”

“Oh, oh!” Sif said excitedly. “Can he turn into a horse?”

A horse? Loki thought a moment. He’d never seen a real horse, but he remembered the pictures he’d seen in the picture book Frigga gave him. His form began to melt. It wasn’t until Sif screamed and fell backward that he knew something went wrong.

“Baaaa,” Loki bleated as he struggled to get up on his front two feet. Wait a minute… That was a goat not a horse. His form morphed again, and this time, he stood up on shaky legs as a black colt. Sif clapped her hands and squealed. She wrapped her arms around Loki’s neck and hugged him.

“Wow!” Thor exclaimed, smiling. “I still wanna know how ya do it.”

“You said he’s yur brotha?” Fandral asked.

“Yep!”

“How come he cun shapeshift an’ you can’t?” Volstagg asked.

Thor shrugged. “I dunno.”

“Maybe he got it from Odin,” Hogun said at last. Everyone turned to look at the boy, who they had almost forgotten was even there.

“Maybe,” Thor mused.

“Loki, can you turn into a winged horse?” Sif asked. “I wanna be a Valkyrie when I grow up and ride a white winged horsie.”

Loki turned his head to look at Sif. He gave a snort. Slowly a pair of wings sprouted from his back. He flapped them several times to steady himself on his thin, shaky legs.

“Yay!” Sif said as she reached out to touch the feathery wings. “Thor, can I take your brotha home?”

“No, you can’ take him home.” Thor scowled.

Sif scowled back, shrugging him off and turning her attention back to Loki. She gently stroked his mane.

“What else can he turn into?” asked Fandral.

“Uhhh…lotsa thins,” Thor replied.

“Wha’ about a duck?” Volstagg suggested.

“A duck?” Thor wrinkled his nose.

Loki swung his head around. A duck…duck, duck. His horse form melted into a quacking duck, much to Sif’s disappointment.

“Why would you wanna ol’ dumb duck?” Sif asked. “Tha horse was prettier.”

“Wha’s wrong with ducks?” said Volstagg.

“They’re dumb,” said Sif.

“Just ‘cause you don’ like ‘em, doesn’t mean they’re dumb.”

“QUACK!” said Loki loudly. Enough! He hated when people argued. He changed back into a baby and sat sulkily. If they were going to fight, then they weren’t going to have a duck or a horse.

“Now, see wha you did?” Sif shot Volstagg a piercing glare.

“Wha _I_ did??”

“Listen,” Thor interjected, “Let’s play a game. Just a minute, I’ll be righ’ back.”

Thor ran off toward the palace and remained gone for several minutes. His friends were beginning to wonder about him when he finally came running down the path, Loki’s cloth picture book clutched in his hand. “Here,” he said as he skidded to a stop. He plopped himself down on the ground between Fandral and Volstagg.

“Whas that?” asked Fandral, pointing at the book.

“It’s a picture book Mommy made for Loki. We can show ‘im pictures from it and see if he’ll change.” Thor laid the book on the ground in front of Loki, but the little giant refused to respond. He continued to sit and sulk.

“Loki,” said Thor gently, “cun you change inta this?” He pointed at the first page, which showed a squirrel.

“Duh,” Loki burbled. He turned his head away, pulling at the grass. Why should he change for these kids? All they did was fight.

“Aw, c’mon, Loki. Sif un Volstagg didn’ mean ta fight—they didn’ mean to scare you if tha’s what they did.”

“Boo,” Loki murmured, turning around to face his brother. He blew a raspberry.

Fandral took the book and flipped through the pages, stopping at one showing a drawing of a cow.

“Wha about this one?” he queried.

“Moop,” Loki replied.

Everyone sighed.

“We’re sorry, Loki,” Sif finally admitted. “We won’ fight again.”

Loki turned bright eyes from Sif to Volstagg.

“Prowmiss,” he added.

Loki let out a giggle and clapped his hands together.

“So, wha’ abou’ it?” Fandral pointed at the page with the cow again.

Instantly, Loki’s form enlarged to be a black and white calf. “Mooooooooo.”

“An’ tha squirrel!” Thor said excitedly.

Loki changed forms to please the children for a little over thirty minutes. Every time they showed him a picture in his book, he would melt to fit that form, earning a cheer and applause from his surrounding audience—and maybe a hug or two from Sif.

Then it happened somewhere between the dog and pigeon. He quickly discovered that changing forms depleted a lot of his energy. He wasn’t sure what happened or how it happened, but…he was almost sure that a creature having a pigeon body and a dog’s head didn’t exist anywhere on any of the Nine Realms.

Sif screamed when she saw the awkward thing hopping around in front of her. “Wha’ is it?” she asked.

“Loki, change back!” said Thor, concern in his voice. He was afraid Loki might have hurt himself.

Loki staggered around before changing back into his baby form. “Duhhhh…” he said. He fell over backward and put a fist in his mouth. Thor and the others sighed in relief.

“I better get brotha into tha palace for a nap,” said Thor. He got to his feet and picked Loki up. “I’ll be back in a little while, an’ then we can go play.”

With that, Thor walked to the nursery and left Loki in the care of Lífdís.


End file.
